Chinese researchers develop method for treating wastewater from cellulose materials

In China, oil spills and industrial pollution pose a huge threat to the ecological environment. Concerns over safety have seen an increased focus on improving the filtration of oily wastewater; for example, during the treatment of sewage. Membrane separation technology offers a promising and efficient option for treating that wastewater, particularly with its low energy consumption. However, it remains a challenge to find low-cost, strong and environmentally friendly composite membranes that can achieve a high level of separation.

A group of researchers at Shanxi Institute of Coal Chemistry (part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences – CAS) have developed a new and improved method using two different cellulose materials. Their process allows them to obtain membrane materials for oil-water separation that are ‘all cellulose’ (cellulose with two or more different crystal forms).

Importantly, as they outline in their study results, published in the KeAi journal Green Energy & Environment, their membrane is friendly to the environment.