Non-biological wastewater treatment with thermocatalytic membrane for simultaneous filtration and pollutant degradation

Wastewater is a major source of three valuable resources for circular economy: water, nutrients and energy. Accordingly, there is an increasing focus to convert and separate wastewater into these three fractions. In this project a radical transition from biological to chemical treatment is proposed to ensure high energy recovery and complete pollutant removal. This challenge can be completed by direct filtration with membrane technology. However, at present this solution is limited by membrane fouling and low removal of micropollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals). This project aims to overcome fouling and to efficiently degrade organic micropollutants by immobilization of a recently developed thermocatalyst on membranes. During heating the thermocatalyst will start degrading organic substances, hence the organic fouling layers are degraded and released during heating while also degrading micropollutants to ensure high effluent quality.