Research Progress on the Application of Ceramic Membranes in Wastewater Treatment of the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industry

Abstract Ceramic membranes have become a key separation technology for treating complex pollutants in the petrochemical industry due to their excellent resistance to extreme conditions, high separation efficiency, and extended service life. This review systematically summarizes the application progress of ceramic membranes in treating oily, high-salinity, and phenol-containing wastewater, and clarifies the technical compatibility between membrane material properties and the characteristics of petrochemical wastewater. The technological development has mainly progressed along three paths: surface functional modification, structural optimization, and multiprocess coupling. Ceramic membranes have demonstrated efficient oil removal in oily wastewater treatment, excellent salt rejection in high-salinity streams via nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO), and membrane distillation (MD), and outstanding phenol degradation in phenol-laden wastewater, with successful industrial applications in offshore produced water reinjection and catalytic slurry solid removal. However, several bottlenecks remain, including severe membrane fouling, high operating costs, insufficient adaptability to complex wastewater matrices, and a low level of intelligence. Future development trends are directed toward functional composite membranes, intelligent process integration, resource recovery, and cost reduction. This review provides a scientific reference for further technological innovation and large-scale application of ceramic membranes in the petrochemical industry, supporting the sector’s transition toward efficient pollution control and green, low-carbon development.