Reverse osmosis and nanofiltration processes in industrial wastewater treatment: The recent progress, challenge, and future opportunity

The expansion of industrial activities has generated a substantial amount of wastewater containing high concentrations of hazardous substances, presenting considerable environmental and health hazards. Membrane technologies , including nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO), have become integral to the treatment and reuse of industrial wastewater, offering high separation efficiency, low energy consumption, and environmental sustainability. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current state, challenges, and potential solutions associated with NF/RO treatment in industrial wastewater management. It offers an overview of the characteristics of various industrial wastewaters and relevant treatment advancements. This paper proposes the challenges and corresponding solutions in treating industrial wastewater, specifically focusing on strategies for mitigating membrane fouling through pretreatment, membrane modification, and effective cleaning techniques. Additionally, this study provides approaches to minimize membrane oxidation and manage NF/RO concentrates, while considering prospects such as zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and resource recovery from concentrates. This work suggests future research directions and offers theoretical perspectives for advancing NF and RO processes in industrial wastewater treatment .