CEST2025

Integrating membrane filtration with electrochemical technologies offers an innovative and highly efficient approach to reducing membrane fouling and addressing wastewater contaminants. This study optimizes the fabrication of electroactive membranes to improve durability and delay fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) by applying an electrical current. Electroactive membranes were fabricated using titanium filters with varying porosities, hydrothermal conditions, and catalyst loading. Membrane properties were characterized, including tensile strength, porosity, pore size, and current density. Batch experiments with MBR effluent were conducted at 0 V (control) and 4 V. Results showed that, in contrast to the control where total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiency declined from 52% to 4%, the application of electricity enhanced TP removal from 12% to 70%. This improvement is attributed to phosphate precipitates (e.g., calcium phosphate) formed through electrochemical reactions, which were then filtered by the membrane. The electroactive membranes in MBRs demonstrated significantly longer operation times and improved TP removal efficiency, especially when electrode polarity was reversed. This reversal likely prevents foulant adhesion, facilitating membrane cleaning through oxidants and bubbles generated at the membrane surface. In conclusion, electrified membranes effectively delay fouling while promoting phosphorus recovery as precipitates. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2022-NR066724), funded by the Korean government.