Bioinspired Hypochlorite-Resistant Reverse Osmosis Membranes

The abstract describes research seeking to address the persistent problem of biological fouling in membrane systems. Our objective is to develop a means of modifying commercial reverse osmosis (RO) membranes to withstand hypochlorite exposure. This would allow for the use of hypochlorite disinfectants in RO processes, reducing the harmful effects of biofilm formation on membrane surfaces and thereby improving effluent water quality, reducing energy consumption, and increasing membrane lifespan. As biological fouling is a widespread problem, the subject is applicable to a variety of applications and would be of interest to a broad audience.