Framework for integrating quorum quenching with biodegradable membranes for application-specific biofouling control

Biofouling remains a major limitation in membrane-based water treatment, particularly in short-duration or high-biomass environments where conventional biocidal control strategies conflict with sustainability objectives. Biodegradable membranes and quorum quenching (QQ) approaches have emerged independently as promising solutions addressing material lifecycle impact and microbial colonisation, yet integration between these domains remains insufficiently structured. This review proposes a design-oriented Lifetime-Function-Intervention (LFI) framework that aligns biodegradable membrane degradation behaviour with the persistence and intensity of QQ strategies. The framework interprets membrane lifetime as the primary operational constraint and positions QQ as proportional stabilisation within defined functional tolerance regimes. Enzymatic, microbial, and small-molecule signalling interventions targeting AHL, AI-2, and DSF pathways are examined in relation to polymer properties including polarity, degradation profile, and matrix compatibility across materials such as polylactic acid, chitosan, polyhydroxyalkanoates, cellulose derivatives, and polyamide 6.9. By linking intervention persistence to service duration and fouling tolerance, the framework supports systematic pairing of materials and QQ agents for application contexts including decentralised water access, industrial wastewater treatment, food processing, and oil-water separation. Beyond integration, the LFI perspective enables evaluation of suitability boundaries where biodegradable-QQ coupling becomes conditionally effective or inappropriate under strict tolerance or long-duration operational regimes. This design logic advances membrane antifouling research by jointly optimising functional reliability and environmental transience, providing a structured basis for development of application-specific filtration systems that balance performance stability, material sustainability, and deployment practicality.