Alberto Figoli – författare

Membrane Technologies for Biorefining highlights the best practices needed for the efficient and environmentally-compatible separation techniques that are fundamental to the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals for use as alternatives to petroleum refining.

Membrane technologies are increasingly of interest in biorefineries due to their modest energy consumption, low chemical requirements, and excellent separation efficiency. The book provides researchers in academia and industry with an authoritative overview of the different types of membranes and highlights the ways in which they can be applied in biorefineries for the production of chemicals and biofuels. Topics have been selected to highlight both the variety of raw materials treated in biorefineries and the range of biofuel and chemical end-products.

Current Trends and Future Developments in (Bio-) Membranes: Renewable Energy Integrated with Membrane Operations offers an overview of advanced technologies in the field of water desalination, wastewater treatment and hydrogen production that is coupled with renewable energy sources. Membrane processes are well-recognized technologies in the field of water and wastewater treatment. This book reviews their potential and lists new technologies which allow for the use of solar, hydroelectric, wind, hydrothermal and other forms of renewable energy with the same effect. In addition, it highlights what has already been achieved in the integration of membrane reactors and energy produced by biomass.

Current Trends and Future Developments in (Bio-) Membranes: Membranes in Environmental Applications offers an overview of environmental pollution, covering the air, water, waste from agriculture and climate change, and including emerging offenders such as microplastics and electronic waste which can be solved by conventional and advanced membrane techniques. Chapters cover environmental pollution issues followed by specific membrane processes, problems related to environmental pollution, and the different techniques used for solving these problems. For each pollutant, such as CO2 and fuel, water and wastewater, waste from agriculture, etc., specific membrane processes are described.

Users will find a comprehensive overview on the environmental problems that influence climate change and aquatic/water preservation, CO2 emission and air pollution, metals, toxic pollutants in water, wastewater problems and treatments, and more.

Current Trends and Future Developments on (Bio-) Membranes: Membrane Technologies in Environmental Protection and Public Health- Challenges and Opportunities illustrates the application of membrane technology used in separation processes, along with the advantages of membranes in comparison with other types of separation methods. In addition, the book illustrates new approaches for pollution monitoring and helps researchers develop new membrane systems for air or water pollution monitoring. Sections focus on the application of membrane technology to new membranes, hence it is ideal for R&D managers in industry and a variety of others, including academic researchers and postgraduate students working in strategic treatment, separation and purification processes.

Since the development of the first modules, hollow fibers have totally revolutionized the world of membranes—thanks to the new technological breakthroughs and innovative materials discovered. The importance of a book putting hollow fibers in the spotlight owes to this type of configuration being more and more appreciated, particularly in large-scale applications. Moreover, the advent of nanofibers has injected new vitality in biomedical research, air and water separation and filtration processes, and emerging areas of nanotechnology. This book singles out and highlights the unique properties that hollow fibers and nanofibers display in the fields where they already represent the dominant configuration and where their full exploitation is still hindered by economic and technological constraints.

Since the development of the first modules, hollow fibers have totally revolutionized the world of membranes—thanks to the new technological breakthroughs and innovative materials discovered. The importance of a book putting hollow fibers in the spotlight owes to this type of configuration being more and more appreciated, particularly in large-scale applications. Moreover, the advent of nanofibers has injected new vitality in biomedical research, air and water separation and filtration processes, and emerging areas of nanotechnology. This book singles out and highlights the unique properties that hollow fibers and nanofibers display in the fields where they already represent the dominant configuration and where their full exploitation is still hindered by economic and technological constraints.

Focuses on the application of membrane technologies in removing toxic metals\metalloids from water. Particular attention is devoted to the removal of arsenic, uranium, and fluoride. These compounds are all existing in the earth’s crust at levels between two and five thousands micrograms per kg (parts per million) on average and these compounds can be considered highly toxic to humans, who are exposed to them primarily from air, food and water. In order to comply with the new maximum contaminant level, numerous studies have been undertaken to improve established treatments or to develop novel treatment technologies for removing toxic metals from contaminated surface and groundwater. Among the technologies available, applicable for water treatment, membrane technology has been identified as a promising technology to remove such toxic metals from water. The book describes both pressure driven (traditional processes, such as Nanofiltration, Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration,etc) and more advanced membrane processes (such as forward osmosis, membrane distillation, and membrane bio-reactors) employed in the application of interest. Key aspect of this book is to provide information on both the basics of membrane technologies and on the results depending on the type of technology employed.

Focuses on the application of membrane technologies in removing toxic metals\metalloids from water. Particular attention is devoted to the removal of arsenic, uranium, and fluoride. These compounds are all existing in the earth’s crust at levels between two and five thousands micrograms per kg (parts per million) on average and these compounds can be considered highly toxic to humans, who are exposed to them primarily from air, food and water. In order to comply with the new maximum contaminant level, numerous studies have been undertaken to improve established treatments or to develop novel treatment technologies for removing toxic metals from contaminated surface and groundwater. Among the technologies available, applicable for water treatment, membrane technology has been identified as a promising technology to remove such toxic metals from water. The book describes both pressure driven (traditional processes, such as Nanofiltration, Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration,etc) and more advanced membrane processes (such as forward osmosis, membrane distillation, and membrane bio-reactors) employed in the application of interest. Key aspect of this book is to provide information on both the basics of membrane technologies and on the results depending on the type of technology employed.

The book focuses on Application of Nanotechnology in Membranes for Water Treatment but not only provides a series of innovative solutions for water reclamation through advanced membrane technology but also serves as a medium to promote international cooperation and networking for the development of advanced membrane technology for Universal well-being and to achieve the common goal of supplying economically, environmentally and societally sustainable freshwater and better sanitation systems. This book is unique because the chapters were authored by established researchers all around the globe based on their recent research findings. In addition, this book provides a holistic coverage of membrane development for water treatment, from the membrane preparation and characterizations to the performance for specific processes and applications. Since that water scarcity has become a global risk and one of the most serious challenges for the scientific community in this century, the publication of this book is therefore significant as it will serve as a medium for a good reference of an alternative solution in water reclamation.

This book will provide the readers with a thorough understanding of the different available approaches for manufacturing membranes both with innovative polymeric systems and inorganic nano-materials which could give enhanced functionalities, catalytic and antimicrobial activities to improve the performance of the existing membranes. It will be useful for leading decision and policy makers, water sector representatives and administrators, policy makers from the governments, business leaders, business houses in water treatment, and engineers/ scientists from both industrialized and developing countries as well.

The book focuses on Application of Nanotechnology in Membranes for Water Treatment but not only provides a series of innovative solutions for water reclamation through advanced membrane technology but also serves as a medium to promote international cooperation and networking for the development of advanced membrane technology for Universal well-being and to achieve the common goal of supplying economically, environmentally and societally sustainable freshwater and better sanitation systems. This book is unique because the chapters were authored by established researchers all around the globe based on their recent research findings. In addition, this book provides a holistic coverage of membrane development for water treatment, from the membrane preparation and characterizations to the performance for specific processes and applications. Since that water scarcity has become a global risk and one of the most serious challenges for the scientific community in this century, the publication of this book is therefore significant as it will serve as a medium for a good reference of an alternative solution in water reclamation.

This book will provide the readers with a thorough understanding of the different available approaches for manufacturing membranes both with innovative polymeric systems and inorganic nano-materials which could give enhanced functionalities, catalytic and antimicrobial activities to improve the performance of the existing membranes. It will be useful for leading decision and policy makers, water sector representatives and administrators, policy makers from the governments, business leaders, business houses in water treatment, and engineers/ scientists from both industrialized and developing countries as well.

Vapour permeation and membrane distillation are two emerging membrane technologies for the production of vapour as permeate, which, in addition to well-established pervaporation technology, are of increasing interest to academia and industry. As efficient separation and concentration processes, they have high potential for use in the energy, water, chemical, food and pharmaceutical sectors.

Part One begins by covering the fundamentals, preparation and characterization of pervaporation, before going on to outline the associated systems and applications. State of the art uses, future trends and next generation pervaporation are then discussed. Part Two then explores the preparation, characterization, systems and applications of membranes for vapour permeation, followed by modelling and the new generation of vapour permeation membranes. Finally, Part Three outlines the fundamentals of membrane distillation and its applications in integrated systems, before the book concludes with a view of the next generation.

This book analyses the sustainability of membrane operations applied on an industrial scale, as well as that of those under investigation on lab/pilot scales, covering also the preparation of both polymeric and inorganic membranes. It presents reverse osmosis in desalination, membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment and pressure-driven industrial wastewater treatment in agrofood and textile fields as examples of industrial membrane operations. Regarding the membrane processes still on a lab/pilot scale, the analysis includes membrane operations for the recovery of valuable products from wastewater streams, for the removal of toxic compounds from water/wastewater, and for zero liquid discharge approaches in desalination. The book offers a useful guide for scientists and engineers working in various fields, including membrane technology, separation, desalination, and wastewater treatment.

Alberto Figoli and Alessandra Criscuoli are both Senior Researchersat the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy.