Evaluating the impact of Fe₂O₃-Zeolite on enhancing hydrophilicity and porosity of PVDF membranes for fouling mitigation using humic acid in membrane bioreactors

Managing fouling from organic and biological materials has consistently posed a significant challenge in water and wastewater treatment via membrane technology. This research aimed to develop a new membrane with hydrophilic characteristics and assess its resistance to fouling. Hollow fiber membranes were created from PVDF polymer, enhanced with zeolite-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle additives, using glutaraldehyde-H₂SO₄ cross-linking to incorporate hydrophilic elements. These modified membranes demonstrated notable surface porosity and improved hydrophilicity, with a reduced water droplet contact angle of 40° ± 0.6. The increased porosity led to a pure water flux of 141 L/m²h, a recovery rate (FRR) of 97 %, and rejection rates above 93 %.