Removal of phenolic compounds from industrial waste water based on membrane-based technologies

Abstract

Phenol and its derivatives from various man-made activities pose threats to public health and aquatic ecosystems. A number of technologies (e.g., adsorption, oxidation, and biological methods) have been proposed and tested to remove phenolic compounds from waste water. Among these technologies, membrane separation is considered one of the most efficient tools for abating phenolic compounds from waste water because of low capital cost, easy scalability, and ecofriendly production with the lowest emission of noxious compounds. In this review, we aim to address the potent role of membrane technology by evaluating its performance in separating various phenolic compounds from industrial effluents.