Membrane Technologies for the Removal of Bisphenol A from Wastewater: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most frequently detected endocrine-disrupting substances in aquatic surroundings due to its extensive use in the production of plastics, epoxy resins, and consumer products. The ongoing release of BPA-containing municipal and industrial effluents puts ecosystems and human health at danger; hence, efficient water and wastewater treatment methods must be developed. Membrane technologies have become one of the most promising treatment options due to their high separation efficiency, operating flexibility, small size and compatibility with current treatment systems. Recent developments in membrane-based BPA removal techniques, including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, and membrane distillation, are critically examined in this review. The impact of operating conditions, fouling behaviour, wastewater matrix characteristics, and membrane material features on BPA rejection performance is thoroughly examined. Additionally, new advances in membrane bioreactors, nanocomposite membranes, mixed-matrix membranes, and hybrid membrane systems combined with electrochemical technologies, enhanced oxidation processes, and adsorption are assessed. Key findings show that advanced hybrid membrane systems can improve removal efficacy, lower fouling, and increase process sustainability, whereas nanofiltration and reverse osmosis typically attain BPA rejection efficiency over 90%. Although industrial-scale and hybrid membrane systems have been implemented worldwide for removing contaminants such as BPA, challenges related to membrane fouling, concentrate management, long-term stability, energy consumption, and large-scale implementation remain areas for further improvement. To enable the effective and economical removal of BPA from wastewater, future research should concentrate on the creation of smart and self-cleaning membranes, sustainable membrane materials, AI-driven process optimization, and pilot-scale validation.