Direct Membrane Filtration of MWW: Membrane Module, Fouling Control, and Anaerobic Treatability

Abstract In the context of promoting a circular economy (CE), there is an urgent need to focus on the recovery of energy and resources from the sewage treatment plants (STPs). Currently, activated sludge process (ASP), a widely used process to treat municipal wastewater (MWW) fails to recover resources and energy from it. Direct membrane filtration (DMF) is a promising technique to treat MWW wherein we can get a better effluent quality while allowing us to recover intrinsic wastewater resources. DMF can also be employed to up‐concentrate MWW so that it can be efficiently utilized for anaerobic digestion (AD), thereby helping in recovering energy. This review paper focuses on assessing the efficiency of DMF for treating MWW. Different membrane module configurations are discussed. Because membrane fouling is a major drawback in DMF, different membrane fouling control strategies are also presented. Finally, the potential of utilizing the up‐concentrated MWW for AD is also explored.