Progress on remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water and wastewater using membrane technologies: A review

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are stable, extremely toxic compounds that threaten human and environmental health. In various regions, water and wastewater streams contain 8 to 110 ng/L of PFAS. PFAS' hydrophobic and oleophobic characteristics, chemical and mechanical stability, and strong resistance to biological, chemical, and thermal degradation make them difficult to remove from aquatic settings. PFAS removal from aquatic environments using membrane technologies is promising due to their superior rejection of various PFAS categories and maturity level. This review article discusses membrane technologies' present trajectory to remove PFAS in water and wastewater treatment. Current advances in reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, membrane distillation, and adsorptive nanofiber membranes are examined, including their pros and cons. Hybrid technologies that combine membrane technologies with non-destructive or destructive methods are promising PFAS removal methods. Along with scientific discourse, this review critically discusses techno-economic elements of single and hybrid membrane processes to determine their practicality and cost-efficiency for implementation. This paper covers the newest membrane technologies for PFAS cleanup. Additionally, it sheds light on this essential domain's research prospects.