Structural optimization of FeOCl-functionalized hollow fiber ceramic membranes for catalytic ozonation of organic pollutants.

Due to high reactivity and oxidative capacity, membrane-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as promising technologies for wastewater remediation. Herein, a FeOCl-functionalized hollow fiber ceramic membrane (FeOCl@HFCM) was fabricated via a dry-wet spinning phase inversion method, and its performance for recalcitrant organic pollutants degradation was evaluated. The asymmetric catalytic membrane with a 45% dense layer fraction achieved a removal efficiency of 99.8% for methylene blue and a 63.4% total organic carbon reduction rate. The hydraulic retention time was extended to 9.45 ms. COMSOL simulations indicated that increasing the proportion of the dense layer significantly enhanced the local concentration and confinement of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby improving pollutant degradation. The catalytic confinement effect generated within the dense layer significantly increased the local concentration of ROS, promoting the non-selective oxidation of pollutants. The membrane reactor exhibited robust stability over 30 days. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and ECOSAR verified that degradation occurs via demethylation and ring-opening reactions driven by •OH and •O2-, producing intermediates with relatively low toxicity. By selectively regulating the structure of the catalyst support, the non-selective and highly efficient oxidation of pollutants was achieved. This study provides guidance for the application of membrane-based AOPs in wastewater treatment.