Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119877
Long Li , Qian Cao , Renzhong Wang , Ying Li , Yang Zhao , Yiqun Fan , Zhaohua Li , Feng Shao
Precise separation of monovalent cations remains a formidable challenge due to their similar hydration radii and identical valence. Here, we report a novel anionic covalent organic framework (COF)-based composite membrane, which is fabricated via a microfluidic-assisted triphasic interface approach, integrated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSSNa). This rational design synergistically tailors both the interlayer charge density and nanochannel morphology. The resultant membrane rGO-TPPA-PSSNa achieves a K+/Li+ selectivity of 2.24 (60% higher than pristine COF membranes), while maintaining superior ion permeation and structural integrity. Theoretical calculations reveal that PSSNa effectively reinforces electrostatic repulsion and selectively impedes Li+ transport. This work establishes a rational design paradigm for next-generation COF membranes with angstrom-level ion discrimination for energy and environmental applications.
{"title":"Synergistic regulation of pore structure and surface charge in COF-based membranes for monovalent ion sieving","authors":"Long Li , Qian Cao , Renzhong Wang , Ying Li , Yang Zhao , Yiqun Fan , Zhaohua Li , Feng Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Precise separation of monovalent cations remains a formidable challenge due to their similar hydration radii and identical valence. Here, we report a novel anionic covalent organic framework (COF)-based composite membrane, which is fabricated via a microfluidic-assisted triphasic interface approach, integrated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSSNa). This rational design synergistically tailors both the interlayer charge density and nanochannel morphology. The resultant membrane rGO-TPPA-PSSNa achieves a K<sup>+</sup>/Li<sup>+</sup> selectivity of 2.24 (60% higher than pristine COF membranes), while maintaining superior ion permeation and structural integrity. Theoretical calculations reveal that PSSNa effectively reinforces electrostatic repulsion and selectively impedes Li<sup>+</sup> transport. This work establishes a rational design paradigm for next-generation COF membranes with angstrom-level ion discrimination for energy and environmental applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119877"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119875
Chun-Hong Zhou , Ying-Lin He , Zhuo Chen , Dilibinuer Niyazimaimaiti , Jincheng Wu , Yuan Fan , Amanula Yimingniyazi , Peng-Cheng Ma , Abudukeremu Kadier
Freshwater shortage, driven by global population growth, industrialization, and climate change, demands the development of effective water purification technologies. Brackish water and seawater desalination is a promising solution, yet conventional desalination techniques are hampered by their high costs, complexity, and energy intensity. Solar interfacial evaporation (SIE) has exhibited high efficiency and environmental benefits, but its practical application is hindered by diurnal intermittency, weather instability, and salt fouling. To address these challenges, electrothermal heating is incorporated with SIE in this study. A thermoelectric layer (Ag/PPy-BF) was formed on basalt fabric (BF) substrate by depositing polypyrrole (PPy) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles, which was then combined with a 3D wood-based evaporator to construct an electrothermal-assisted interface evaporation system. Under combined 1 sun irradiation and 1.5 V Joule-heating, the system achieved an evaporation rate of 7.46 kg·m−2·h−1, and exceptional salt resistance, maintaining a rate of 4.71 kg·m−2·h−1 in 10.5 wt% NaCl solution. Furthermore, by incorporating photovoltaic panels, a fully solar-powered, photo-electrothermal complementary system (P-ECIES) was developed. In the test using actual brackish water, P-ECIES operated stably for 16 h at 1.5 V Joule-heating, with an evaporation rate of 4.31–4.68 kg·m−2·h−1, and then operated for 8 h under 1 sun irradiation with an evaporation rate of 1.75–1.93 kg·m−2·h−1, showing robust performance despite minor salt accumulation. The system produced high-purity water with significantly reduced key pollutants (COD, TDS, SS, turbidity), and also achieved a salt ion removal rate over 99.91%. These findings evidence the viability of P-ECIES for round-the-clock desalination of brackish water and its potential in addressing freshwater shortage.
{"title":"Enhanced brackish water desalination performance of 3D invasive plant wood-based evaporator via coupled photo-thermal and Joule-heating effect","authors":"Chun-Hong Zhou , Ying-Lin He , Zhuo Chen , Dilibinuer Niyazimaimaiti , Jincheng Wu , Yuan Fan , Amanula Yimingniyazi , Peng-Cheng Ma , Abudukeremu Kadier","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Freshwater shortage, driven by global population growth, industrialization, and climate change, demands the development of effective water purification technologies. Brackish water and seawater desalination is a promising solution, yet conventional desalination techniques are hampered by their high costs, complexity, and energy intensity. Solar interfacial evaporation (SIE) has exhibited high efficiency and environmental benefits, but its practical application is hindered by diurnal intermittency, weather instability, and salt fouling. To address these challenges, electrothermal heating is incorporated with SIE in this study. A thermoelectric layer (Ag/PPy-BF) was formed on basalt fabric (BF) substrate by depositing polypyrrole (PPy) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles, which was then combined with a 3D wood-based evaporator to construct an electrothermal-assisted interface evaporation system. Under combined 1 sun irradiation and 1.5 V Joule-heating, the system achieved an evaporation rate of 7.46 kg·m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup>, and exceptional salt resistance, maintaining a rate of 4.71 kg·m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup> in 10.5 wt% NaCl solution. Furthermore, by incorporating photovoltaic panels, a fully solar-powered, photo-electrothermal complementary system (P-ECIES) was developed. In the test using actual brackish water, P-ECIES operated stably for 16 h at 1.5 V Joule-heating, with an evaporation rate of 4.31–4.68 kg·m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup>, and then operated for 8 h under 1 sun irradiation with an evaporation rate of 1.75–1.93 kg·m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup>, showing robust performance despite minor salt accumulation. The system produced high-purity water with significantly reduced key pollutants (COD, TDS, SS, turbidity), and also achieved a salt ion removal rate over 99.91%. These findings evidence the viability of P-ECIES for round-the-clock desalination of brackish water and its potential in addressing freshwater shortage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119875"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119850
Liyue Diao , Wei Long , Hong Li , Qianhong She
pH is critical for optimizing the efficiency during water treatment processes. The electrochemical membrane system (EMS) offers a chemical-free method to adjust pH in situ, where a piece of low-cost filtration membrane is placed between two electrodes and the water electrolysis occurs to generate H+ and OH− ions. In contrast to previous studies that have provided a qualitative understanding on performance-limiting factors of pH regulation in the EMS, this study aims to quantitatively analyze these factors. Herein, we integrate the theoretical modelling with the experimental investigation to quantitatively evaluate how performance-limiting factors affect pH changes and the specific energy consumption (SEC) in the EMS. The effluent pH achieved ∼4.5 and ∼10.0 under a low current density (CD) of 0.5 mA/cm2 with an extremely low SEC of 0.009–0.011 kWh/m3 for all the membranes tested under the operating surface loading rate (OSLR) of 1200 LMH. When the CD increased and the OSLR decreased further, the effluent pH finally achieved ∼2.0 and ∼12.0, but with a less energy-efficient level of SEC. Membrane properties insignificantly affected pH changes, while the higher electric resistance of either membranes or electrolyte solutions increased the system's SEC. Moreover, the dissolution of CO2 from the air into the electrolyte solution exhibited a buffering effect on pH changes. These findings provide practical guidance for the EMS design and operation, contributing to enhancing the performance and the energy efficiency of the EMS in broad water treatment industries.
{"title":"Complementary modelling analysis and experimental investigation of performance-limiting factors of electrochemical membrane systems for chemical-free pH regulation","authors":"Liyue Diao , Wei Long , Hong Li , Qianhong She","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119850","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119850","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>pH is critical for optimizing the efficiency during water treatment processes. The electrochemical membrane system (EMS) offers a chemical-free method to adjust pH in situ, where a piece of low-cost filtration membrane is placed between two electrodes and the water electrolysis occurs to generate H<sup>+</sup> and OH<sup>−</sup> ions. In contrast to previous studies that have provided a qualitative understanding on performance-limiting factors of pH regulation in the EMS, this study aims to quantitatively analyze these factors. Herein, we integrate the theoretical modelling with the experimental investigation to quantitatively evaluate how performance-limiting factors affect pH changes and the specific energy consumption (SEC) in the EMS. The effluent pH achieved ∼4.5 and ∼10.0 under a low current density (CD) of 0.5 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> with an extremely low SEC of 0.009–0.011 kWh/m<sup>3</sup> for all the membranes tested under the operating surface loading rate (OSLR) of 1200 LMH. When the CD increased and the OSLR decreased further, the effluent pH finally achieved ∼2.0 and ∼12.0, but with a less energy-efficient level of SEC. Membrane properties insignificantly affected pH changes, while the higher electric resistance of either membranes or electrolyte solutions increased the system's SEC. Moreover, the dissolution of CO<sub>2</sub> from the air into the electrolyte solution exhibited a buffering effect on pH changes. These findings provide practical guidance for the EMS design and operation, contributing to enhancing the performance and the energy efficiency of the EMS in broad water treatment industries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119850"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119874
Kyeong Hwan Kang , Kangmin Chon , Chang-Kyu Lee , Hojung Rho , Young Mo Kim
The environmental impact of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) industry has raised critical concerns due to wastewater from the LIB manufacturing process containing recalcitrant contaminants, such as metal ions, fluorinated compounds, and organic solvents. Conventional treatment methods often fail to meet stringent effluent discharge standards and result in excessive sludge generation. Therefore, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems have emerged as a promising approach that integrates water recovery with concentrate valorization, aiming to achieve both pollution control and resource circularity in LIB manufacturing. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of ZLD technologies integrated with resource-recovery strategies for sustainable wastewater management in LIB manufacturing. The physicochemical characteristics of LIB manufacturing effluents and the performance of various innovative treatment technologies, including membrane, thermal, and hybrid systems, are also systematically examined. The review further addresses the sustainable management of concentrate brines through conversion into value-added resources. Despite notable technological advances, significant challenges persist in treating wastewater generated during LIB manufacturing, including high operational costs and energy consumption, scale-up limitations, and regulatory concerns. Future research should aim to develop AI-based ZLD frameworks that improve energy efficiency and enable water reuse through integrated resource recovery. Ultimately, ZLD systems that synergistically combine water reclamation with resource recovery are essential to achieving circular and carbon-neutral LIB wastewater management. Such advancements will help transition conventional energy-intensive treatment infrastructures into smart, sustainable platforms for green battery manufacturing.
{"title":"Advanced zero liquid discharge technologies for lithium-ion battery manufacturing wastewater: A comprehensive review","authors":"Kyeong Hwan Kang , Kangmin Chon , Chang-Kyu Lee , Hojung Rho , Young Mo Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The environmental impact of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) industry has raised critical concerns due to wastewater from the LIB manufacturing process containing recalcitrant contaminants, such as metal ions, fluorinated compounds, and organic solvents. Conventional treatment methods often fail to meet stringent effluent discharge standards and result in excessive sludge generation. Therefore, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems have emerged as a promising approach that integrates water recovery with concentrate valorization, aiming to achieve both pollution control and resource circularity in LIB manufacturing. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of ZLD technologies integrated with resource-recovery strategies for sustainable wastewater management in LIB manufacturing. The physicochemical characteristics of LIB manufacturing effluents and the performance of various innovative treatment technologies, including membrane, thermal, and hybrid systems, are also systematically examined. The review further addresses the sustainable management of concentrate brines through conversion into value-added resources. Despite notable technological advances, significant challenges persist in treating wastewater generated during LIB manufacturing, including high operational costs and energy consumption, scale-up limitations, and regulatory concerns. Future research should aim to develop AI-based ZLD frameworks that improve energy efficiency and enable water reuse through integrated resource recovery. Ultimately, ZLD systems that synergistically combine water reclamation with resource recovery are essential to achieving circular and carbon-neutral LIB wastewater management. Such advancements will help transition conventional energy-intensive treatment infrastructures into smart, sustainable platforms for green battery manufacturing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119874"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119855
Chaoge Yang , Jiachen Liu , Junmeng Li , Bowen Li , Pucheng Rui , Chuanxu Wang , Hongzeng Li , Yanli Huang
As underground coal mines in China reach greater depths, the discharge of highly mineralized mine water (total dissolved solids >1000 mg/L, hereafter referred to as mine brackish water) has continued to increase. This issue is especially serious in western regions that are rich in coal resources but short of water, where the resource-oriented use of mine brackish water has become an important way to ease regional water stress. At present, membrane separation is the main desalination technology for mine brackish water and can efficiently produce freshwater; however, the high-salinity concentrated mine water it generates is difficult to treat and costly to dispose of, which limits large-scale application in coal mining areas. Building a safe disposal and resource utilization strategy for high-salinity concentrated mine water is therefore key to improving the overall desalination performance of mine brackish water. Bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace (keyword bursts, timelines, and co-occurrence networks) shows that research has evolved from an early focus on reverse osmosis and compliant discharge, through increased attention to concentrated brine and high-salinity mine water, to a current emphasis on integrated “volume reduction–resource recovery,” where the resource utilization of concentrated mine water has become a major research direction. On this basis, this paper reviews treatment technology systems for high-salinity concentrated mine water, summarizing the technical characteristics, application costs, and applicability of different methods. It further discusses current challenges and future trends, with the aim of providing theoretical support for a mine water management framework that couples disposal, volume reduction and resource utilization, which is important for promoting a circular water economy in mining areas and moving toward near-zero discharge.
{"title":"Critical review of treatment technologies for high-salinity concentrated mine water: Fundamentals, advances and future directions","authors":"Chaoge Yang , Jiachen Liu , Junmeng Li , Bowen Li , Pucheng Rui , Chuanxu Wang , Hongzeng Li , Yanli Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As underground coal mines in China reach greater depths, the discharge of highly mineralized mine water (total dissolved solids >1000 mg/L, hereafter referred to as mine brackish water) has continued to increase. This issue is especially serious in western regions that are rich in coal resources but short of water, where the resource-oriented use of mine brackish water has become an important way to ease regional water stress. At present, membrane separation is the main desalination technology for mine brackish water and can efficiently produce freshwater; however, the high-salinity concentrated mine water it generates is difficult to treat and costly to dispose of, which limits large-scale application in coal mining areas. Building a safe disposal and resource utilization strategy for high-salinity concentrated mine water is therefore key to improving the overall desalination performance of mine brackish water. Bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace (keyword bursts, timelines, and co-occurrence networks) shows that research has evolved from an early focus on reverse osmosis and compliant discharge, through increased attention to concentrated brine and high-salinity mine water, to a current emphasis on integrated “volume reduction–resource recovery,” where the resource utilization of concentrated mine water has become a major research direction. On this basis, this paper reviews treatment technology systems for high-salinity concentrated mine water, summarizing the technical characteristics, application costs, and applicability of different methods. It further discusses current challenges and future trends, with the aim of providing theoretical support for a mine water management framework that couples disposal, volume reduction and resource utilization, which is important for promoting a circular water economy in mining areas and moving toward near-zero discharge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"623 ","pages":"Article 119855"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar desalination systems have received special attention as one of the innovative and sustainable solutions to deal with the global water scarcity crisis. These systems have been developed in two general categories: active and passive, but they still face challenges such as the requirement for solar tracking mechanisms, lack of effective thermal management, and thermal energy loss during evaporation and distillation issues that have resulted in a decrease in the final efficiency of these technologies. In this study, with the aim of improving thermal performance and reducing dependence on the solar tracking mechanism, a compact multi-stage conical solar desalination system was designed and evaluated. This novel system reduced the distance between the condenser and the evaporator and heated the subsequent stage using the latent heat generated during the previous stage's distillation process. This design lessens the need for external energy input and permits energy reuse. Also, by using the conical geometric structure, the optimal angle of solar radiation reception is maintained, and the problem of the need for solar tracking systems is solved. In the first step, the effect of system compactness and reducing the distance between the evaporator and condenser on thermal performance was investigated, and the results showed that this compactness led to a 60% increase in the amount of fresh water production. Among the single-stage systems, the highest efficiency of fresh water production of 25.1% was recorded. Subsequently, by adding more stages to the optimized configuration, the system performance was significantly improved. So that increasing the number of stages from one to three led to a 74% increase in fresh water production, and the thermal efficiency of the three-stage system reached 43.79%. In the final step, the effect of creating fine grooves on the surface of the distillers was investigated in order to effectively guide the distilled droplets and increase the condensation rate. Experimental results show that the use of 32 grooves on the condenser surface, compared to a three-stage system without grooves, resulted in a 21.8% improvement in fresh water production.
{"title":"Enhancing solar desalination efficiency via a compact multi-stage conical system with integrated heat recovery","authors":"Sajjad Safarzadeh , Emadoddin Erfani Farsi Eidgah , Mohammad Passandideh-Fard , Hamid Niazmand","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar desalination systems have received special attention as one of the innovative and sustainable solutions to deal with the global water scarcity crisis. These systems have been developed in two general categories: active and passive, but they still face challenges such as the requirement for solar tracking mechanisms, lack of effective thermal management, and thermal energy loss during evaporation and distillation issues that have resulted in a decrease in the final efficiency of these technologies. In this study, with the aim of improving thermal performance and reducing dependence on the solar tracking mechanism, a compact multi-stage conical solar desalination system was designed and evaluated. This novel system reduced the distance between the condenser and the evaporator and heated the subsequent stage using the latent heat generated during the previous stage's distillation process. This design lessens the need for external energy input and permits energy reuse. Also, by using the conical geometric structure, the optimal angle of solar radiation reception is maintained, and the problem of the need for solar tracking systems is solved. In the first step, the effect of system compactness and reducing the distance between the evaporator and condenser on thermal performance was investigated, and the results showed that this compactness led to a 60% increase in the amount of fresh water production. Among the single-stage systems, the highest efficiency of fresh water production of 25.1% was recorded. Subsequently, by adding more stages to the optimized configuration, the system performance was significantly improved. So that increasing the number of stages from one to three led to a 74% increase in fresh water production, and the thermal efficiency of the three-stage system reached 43.79%. In the final step, the effect of creating fine grooves on the surface of the distillers was investigated in order to effectively guide the distilled droplets and increase the condensation rate. Experimental results show that the use of 32 grooves on the condenser surface, compared to a three-stage system without grooves, resulted in a 21.8% improvement in fresh water production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119863"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119871
Wenxuan Tian , Lidong Gong , Lifen Liu , Chunyang Yu , Yongfeng Zhou
Due to increasing water scarcity and pollution, polyamide (PA) membranes are widely used for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) in water purification and desalination. A novel Tröger's base (TB) diamine (TBDA)-containing PA membrane has attracted significant attention for its high energy efficiency and excellent comprehensive performance. However, the mechanisms underlying interfacial polymerization (IP) during membrane formation and its separation process remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the crosslinking reaction between trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and the TBDA monomer at the water-organic interface. The simulation results indicate that the diamine monomer has a 20 kJ/mol lower energy barrier for crossing at the interface compared to TMC, leading to the IP process where the diamine monomer first passes through the interface and undergoes polymerization in the organic phase. As the degree of polymerization increases, the resulting PA membrane aggregates at the interface, forming a complete membrane. Moreover, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) results indicate that solute transport within the membrane primarily follows diffusion kinetics, demonstrating a distinct diffusion mechanism. The selective separation of Cl− and SO₄2− by the PA membrane is mainly due to the formation of stable, larger molecular clusters by SO₄2−, whereas Cl− forms smaller clusters. As external pressure increases, SO₄2− clusters remain stable, while Cl− clusters are disrupted and reassemble, resulting in smaller cluster sizes that affect flux. Our research provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying PA formation during IP, offering deeper insights into solute separation and transport, which will be critical for the design of future PA membranes.
{"title":"The investigation of interfacial polymerization and separation mechanisms of novel Tröger's base-based polyamide membranes via molecular dynamics simulations","authors":"Wenxuan Tian , Lidong Gong , Lifen Liu , Chunyang Yu , Yongfeng Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to increasing water scarcity and pollution, polyamide (PA) membranes are widely used for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) in water purification and desalination. A novel Tröger's base (TB) diamine (TBDA)-containing PA membrane has attracted significant attention for its high energy efficiency and excellent comprehensive performance. However, the mechanisms underlying interfacial polymerization (IP) during membrane formation and its separation process remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the crosslinking reaction between trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and the TBDA monomer at the water-organic interface. The simulation results indicate that the diamine monomer has a 20 kJ/mol lower energy barrier for crossing at the interface compared to TMC, leading to the IP process where the diamine monomer first passes through the interface and undergoes polymerization in the organic phase. As the degree of polymerization increases, the resulting PA membrane aggregates at the interface, forming a complete membrane. Moreover, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) results indicate that solute transport within the membrane primarily follows diffusion kinetics, demonstrating a distinct diffusion mechanism. The selective separation of Cl<sup>−</sup> and SO₄<sup>2−</sup> by the PA membrane is mainly due to the formation of stable, larger molecular clusters by SO₄<sup>2−</sup>, whereas Cl<sup>−</sup> forms smaller clusters. As external pressure increases, SO₄<sup>2−</sup> clusters remain stable, while Cl<sup>−</sup> clusters are disrupted and reassemble, resulting in smaller cluster sizes that affect flux. Our research provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying PA formation during IP, offering deeper insights into solute separation and transport, which will be critical for the design of future PA membranes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"624 ","pages":"Article 119871"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-11DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119870
Hai Tang , Qiyao Cheng , Ruiting Wen , Shasha Liu , Haiao Zeng , Jianquan Luo
Nanofiltration (NF) is widely regarded as an energy-efficient option for textile wastewater treatment; however, organic rejection reported for simulated feeds often substantially overestimates performance in real industrial effluents. This mismatch complicates process design and leads to unrealistic expectations of NF capability. Here, we present a diagnostic study aimed at elucidating the origins of this apparent performance gap rather than defining long-term operational limits. A closed-loop “real wastewater analysis–simulated wastewater diagnosis–feedback validation” framework was established to decouple the effects of organic composition, salinity, and pH on NF behavior. Using pretreated real textile wastewater, commercial NF membranes exhibited moderate organic and salt rejections (53–71% and 54–91%), markedly lower than values commonly reported for single-dye simulated systems. Chemical analyses revealed that real textile wastewater is dominated by low-molecular-weight (200–500 Da), hydrophilic organics present at low concentrations, which readily permeate NF membranes. Targeted simulated experiments confirmed that elevated dye concentration, simplified organic composition, and reduced ionic complexity artificially enhance apparent rejection through aggregation and fouling-induced pore narrowing. pH regulation further showed that neutral conditions provide the most stable balance between intrinsic rejection and fouling resistance, whereas increased rejection under alkaline conditions is primarily fouling-induced, driven by membrane swelling and metal–organic interactions. By clarifying why laboratory-scale NF evaluations overpredict organic rejection, this study provides mechanistic insight and a transferable diagnostic framework to better align membrane screening and process expectations with real wastewater conditions.
{"title":"Why nanofiltration performance declines in real textile wastewater: Roles of organic complexity, salinity, and fouling","authors":"Hai Tang , Qiyao Cheng , Ruiting Wen , Shasha Liu , Haiao Zeng , Jianquan Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanofiltration (NF) is widely regarded as an energy-efficient option for textile wastewater treatment; however, organic rejection reported for simulated feeds often substantially overestimates performance in real industrial effluents. This mismatch complicates process design and leads to unrealistic expectations of NF capability. Here, we present a diagnostic study aimed at elucidating the origins of this apparent performance gap rather than defining long-term operational limits. A closed-loop “real wastewater analysis–simulated wastewater diagnosis–feedback validation” framework was established to decouple the effects of organic composition, salinity, and pH on NF behavior. Using pretreated real textile wastewater, commercial NF membranes exhibited moderate organic and salt rejections (53–71% and 54–91%), markedly lower than values commonly reported for single-dye simulated systems. Chemical analyses revealed that real textile wastewater is dominated by low-molecular-weight (200–500 Da), hydrophilic organics present at low concentrations, which readily permeate NF membranes. Targeted simulated experiments confirmed that elevated dye concentration, simplified organic composition, and reduced ionic complexity artificially enhance apparent rejection through aggregation and fouling-induced pore narrowing. pH regulation further showed that neutral conditions provide the most stable balance between intrinsic rejection and fouling resistance, whereas increased rejection under alkaline conditions is primarily fouling-induced, driven by membrane swelling and metal–organic interactions. By clarifying why laboratory-scale NF evaluations overpredict organic rejection, this study provides mechanistic insight and a transferable diagnostic framework to better align membrane screening and process expectations with real wastewater conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"623 ","pages":"Article 119870"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119868
Jinwoo Kim , Hyeona Park , Hyung-June Park , Naresh Mameda , Vincenzo Naddeo , Kwang-Ho Choo
Ion exchange resins used for water softening are susceptible to irreversible fouling in the presence of iron and manganese. This study introduces regenerable iron oxide-coated resins (IOCRs), synthesized by binding Fe3+ ions to sulfonate-based cation exchange resins, followed by hydrolysis and aging, to enhance the selective removal of Fe and Mn. Comparative experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of IOCRs in relation to pristine resins, focusing on selectivity, removal capacity, and regeneration stability. IOCRs exhibited a selectivity ratio greater than 1.95 for Fe and Mn over Ca2+ and Mg2+, approximately 5 times higher than the 0.4 ratio observed for uncoated resins, due to surface complexation and oxidation. IOCRs maintained stable Fe and Mn removal, meeting irrigation water quality standards and outperforming uncoated resins. Their volumetric treatment capacity increased by 49% compared to pristine resins, with stable operation sustained up to 820 bed volumes. This corresponds to a molar metal removal that is approximately 3–7 times greater than previously reported values for granular media. Periodic backwashing, performed every 50 bed volumes, effectively sustained performance, keeping filter pressure below 2 kPa. Optimal regeneration was achieved with a single 7-hour immersion in 20% NaCl, ensuring long-term stability and reusability of the material. IOCRs combine the filtration consistency of polymeric resins with the strong affinity of iron oxide for transition metals, enabling the efficient removal of Fe and Mn. These findings position IOCRs as a promising sorbent for mitigating metal-related water quality issues and highlight the potential for upcycling spent resins into high-performance filtration materials.
{"title":"High-selectivity and regenerable iron oxide-coated resins for enhanced iron and manganese removal","authors":"Jinwoo Kim , Hyeona Park , Hyung-June Park , Naresh Mameda , Vincenzo Naddeo , Kwang-Ho Choo","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ion exchange resins used for water softening are susceptible to irreversible fouling in the presence of iron and manganese. This study introduces regenerable iron oxide-coated resins (IOCRs), synthesized by binding Fe<sup>3+</sup> ions to sulfonate-based cation exchange resins, followed by hydrolysis and aging, to enhance the selective removal of Fe and Mn. Comparative experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of IOCRs in relation to pristine resins, focusing on selectivity, removal capacity, and regeneration stability. IOCRs exhibited a selectivity ratio greater than 1.95 for Fe and Mn over Ca<sup>2+</sup> and Mg<sup>2+</sup>, approximately 5 times higher than the 0.4 ratio observed for uncoated resins, due to surface complexation and oxidation. IOCRs maintained stable Fe and Mn removal, meeting irrigation water quality standards and outperforming uncoated resins. Their volumetric treatment capacity increased by 49% compared to pristine resins, with stable operation sustained up to 820 bed volumes. This corresponds to a molar metal removal that is approximately 3–7 times greater than previously reported values for granular media. Periodic backwashing, performed every 50 bed volumes, effectively sustained performance, keeping filter pressure below 2 kPa. Optimal regeneration was achieved with a single 7-hour immersion in 20% NaCl, ensuring long-term stability and reusability of the material. IOCRs combine the filtration consistency of polymeric resins with the strong affinity of iron oxide for transition metals, enabling the efficient removal of Fe and Mn. These findings position IOCRs as a promising sorbent for mitigating metal-related water quality issues and highlight the potential for upcycling spent resins into high-performance filtration materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"623 ","pages":"Article 119868"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Addressing the critical challenge of lithium recovery from hypersaline oilfield produced water, an integrated extraction-purification process for oilfield water with high calcium and sodium content was developed and the molecular mechanisms governing lithium selectivity was revealed. Through systematic screening and multi-parameter optimization, a synergistic extractant system comprising tributyl phosphate (TIBP), sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh4), and 2-octanone achieved excellent performance under optimal conditions (70 vol% TIBP, n(NaBPh4):n(Li+) = 1.8:1, O/A = 1), delivering 51.4% single-stage Li+ extraction efficiency (1.0 g/L Li+ brine) with simultaneous high rejection of Ca2+ and Na+. An innovative one-step stripping-precipitation approach using 2.0 mol/L NH4HCO3 (O/A = 1:1) achieved >95% stripping efficiency, directly yielding battery-grade Li2CO3 (>99.9% purity) after two-stage cross-flow washing (O/A = 5:1, impurities <83 ppm). The organic phase retained stable performance over 11 cycles without replenishment, demonstrating exceptional stability and reusability. Mechanistic studies revealed that the PO group in TIBP coordinated with Li+ via n → π* transitions, while BPh4− enhanced hydrophobicity through electrostatic interactions with [Li(TIBP)2(H₂O)2]+. DFT calculations confirmed the thermodynamic preference for Li+ binding ( = −24.48 kJ/mol) over Na+ (−6.08 kJ/mol) and Ca2+ (−5.41 kJ/mol), with optimized coordination geometry and extraction sequence. This work established a molecular-to-process design paradigm for sustainable lithium recovery, offering a novel approach to unlock lithium resources from complex brines.
{"title":"Sustainable and selective lithium recovery from oilfield produced water via solvent extraction: one-step lithium carbonate synthesis by carbonate-mediated stripping","authors":"Yangyang Wang, Rujie Li, Shanxu Han, Yi Jing, Xinyu Gao, Yajuan Liu, Zhongqi Ren, Zhiyong Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.desal.2026.119852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Addressing the critical challenge of lithium recovery from hypersaline oilfield produced water, an integrated extraction-purification process for oilfield water with high calcium and sodium content was developed and the molecular mechanisms governing lithium selectivity was revealed. Through systematic screening and multi-parameter optimization, a synergistic extractant system comprising tributyl phosphate (TIBP), sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh<sub>4</sub>), and 2-octanone achieved excellent performance under optimal conditions (70 vol% TIBP, n(NaBPh<sub>4</sub>):n(Li<sup>+</sup>) = 1.8:1, O/A = 1), delivering 51.4% single-stage Li<sup>+</sup> extraction efficiency (1.0 g/L Li<sup>+</sup> brine) with simultaneous high rejection of Ca<sup>2+</sup> and Na<sup>+</sup>. An innovative one-step stripping-precipitation approach using 2.0 mol/L NH<sub>4</sub>HCO<sub>3</sub> (O/A = 1:1) achieved >95% stripping efficiency, directly yielding battery-grade Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> (>99.9% purity) after two-stage cross-flow washing (O/A = 5:1, impurities <83 ppm). The organic phase retained stable performance over 11 cycles without replenishment, demonstrating exceptional stability and reusability. Mechanistic studies revealed that the P<img>O group in TIBP coordinated with Li<sup>+</sup> via n → π* transitions, while BPh<sub>4</sub><sup>−</sup> enhanced hydrophobicity through electrostatic interactions with [Li(TIBP)<sub>2</sub>(H₂O)<sub>2</sub>]<sup>+</sup>. DFT calculations confirmed the thermodynamic preference for Li<sup>+</sup> binding (<span><math><mo>∆</mo><msup><mi>G</mi><mi>Θ</mi></msup></math></span> = −24.48 kJ/mol) over Na<sup>+</sup> (−6.08 kJ/mol) and Ca<sup>2+</sup> (−5.41 kJ/mol), with optimized coordination geometry and extraction sequence. This work established a molecular-to-process design paradigm for sustainable lithium recovery, offering a novel approach to unlock lithium resources from complex brines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":299,"journal":{"name":"Desalination","volume":"623 ","pages":"Article 119852"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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