Green Membranes for Sustainability

Membranes are inevitable and effectively eliminate a wide range of hazardous substances, both organic and inorganic compounds, including metals, heavy metals, or other pollutants, and the most efficient tools, particularly for water treatment. In the last decade, membrane technology has played a pivotal role in addressing global sustainability challenges by offering efficient solutions for various applications, i.e. water and wastewater treatment, desalination, ion exchange, dairy industry, gas separation, chemical separations and energy applications, and so on. However, this advanced technology faces challenges, including toxicity and fouling of contaminants, posing safety risks in producing environmentally friendly and sustainable from the points of membrane structure and processes. Factors like sustainability, non-toxicity, performance enhancement, and commercial viability are pivotal concerns in green membrane fabrications. Therefore, it is essential to systematically and comprehensively review critical aspects of toxicity, biosafety, and the mechanistic intricacies of green membrane fabrications for sustainability. This review covers various facets of membrane fabrication to perform sustainability, encompassing their fabrication by using green nanoparticles, bio-sourced materials, green solvents, recycled materials, additive manufacturing, and their future perspectives. The evolution of green membrane fabrication presents an exciting avenue for advancing sustainability efforts, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing performance. Elucidating these aspects aims to underscore the importance and potential of green membranes in achieving sustainable development goals.