Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and other institutes have developed an innovative filter membrane that offers groundbreaking possibilities for treating high-salinity wastewater. Their study was published in the latest issue of Environmental Science & Technology.

The research highlights a newly designed mix-charged nanofiltration membrane featuring a horizontal charge distribution. This advanced configuration creates a high charge density and an almost electroneutral surface, enabling the membrane to effectively facilitate the permeation of divalent salts.

According to the study, the membrane demonstrates remarkable salt permeation, organic matter retention, and antifouling capabilities, making it particularly suitable for treating high-salinity organic wastewater.

"Our membrane achieves 58.6 percent salt permeation and 68.7 percent Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) rejection when treating high-salinity organic wastewater," said Luo Jianquan, the corresponding author of the study. "The results are among the best reported for nanofiltration membranes."

Luo further emphasized that these findings could lead to more efficient resource