Removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern from Wastewater Using Photocatalytic Membranes: Current Status and Challenges.

Nelson Kipchumba, Innocentia G Mkhize, Benton Otieno, Hilary L Rutto, Seteno K Ntwampe

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Membranes, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

2citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Nelson KipchumbaChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, South Africa.ORCID 0009-0000-0935-9050

Innocentia G MkhizeChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, South Africa.

Benton OtienoWater Sanitation and Hygiene Research & Development (WASH R&D) Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-1763-1584

Hilary L RuttoSchool of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa.

Seteno K NtwampeChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-7516-6249

Funding

Durban University of Technology GOOTNational Research Foundation of South Africa TTK23041291574

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The increasing presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in surface and groundwater is a global concern due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation, which lead to undesired effects. Conventional wastewater treatment processes are unable to remove these CECs, necessitating advanced treatment strategies to remove them effectively. Among advanced strategies, photocatalytic membrane treatment has attracted considerable interest among researchers. This review critically examines the fundamental principles governing the performance of photocatalytic membranes. It identifies significant challenges, including photocatalyst leaching, light accessibility, intermediates' toxicity, and scalability of synthesis and immobilisation techniques. It explains why these factors significantly hinder long-term stability, scalability, and practical deployment of photocatalytic membrane systems and provides potential solutions. Through gap analysis, the review has identified rigorous techno-economic analysis, real-world wastewater validation, and systematic toxicity assessment of degradation intermediates as areas of further study. These targeted actions provide clear pathways to enhance the viability, safety, and commercial readiness of photocatalytic membrane systems.

Indexed as

contaminants of emerging concernphotocatalytic membranescale-upsynthesiswastewater

Identifiers

PMID42043012

DOI10.3390/membranes16040153

PMCPMC13117087

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.