Living with Membrane Fouling: Strategies and Challenges of Fouling Control

Fouling remains a dominant limitation of membrane filtration processes. We highlight the emerging understanding of the fouling process and their consequences for future strategies for polymer membrane modifications and operational strategies to control fouling. In addition, often-neglected impacts of cleaning on long-term membrane performance are discussed in relations to membrane ageing and residual deposition. Constraints and opportunities for future implementation in membrane systems are outlined from the perspectives of water and wastewater treatment applications.