Technical and Environmental Sustainability of Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment Using Ce-NaY Zeolite-Modified Polyethersulfone (PES) Membranes: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach

This study investigated incorporating Ce-NaY zeolite into poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membranes to enhance wastewater treatment performance and reduce environmental impact. PES membranes, while strong and chemically stable, suffer from fouling and limited permeability. Modified membranes showed improved thermal stability (degradation at 350 °C) and a porous structure, especially at lower zeolite concentrations. The PES-Ce0.6 membrane achieved a water flux of 86 L/m2·h at 5 bar, significantly higher than the unmodified PES membrane’s 39 L/m2.h. Antifouling tests revealed a 92% flux recovery ratio (FRR) for PES-Ce0.6. Pharmaceutical rejection tests showed up to 97% removal of various pharmaceuticals, including approximately 94% removal of amoxicillin (100 ppm), and high removal rates for penicillin G, levofloxacin, famotidine, ranitidine, and cefamezin. Life cycle assessment (LCA) demonstrated significant environmental benefits for the modified membranes, including reductions in human health damage (up to 48.95%), ecosystem damage (up to 23.97%), and resource depletion (up to 47.66%), with a 34.46% total weight improvement for the PES-Ce0.6 variant. These results indicate that Ce-NaY zeolite modification enhances PES membranes’ performance and sustainability for water purification and pharmaceutical removal.