Hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes with integrated aquaporin Z

Abstract

We report on the preparation of hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes with aquaporin Z immobilized on the outer surface of the separation layer. Three ultrafiltration supports (polymeric, nanocomposite and reinforced) were evaluated in terms of their effect on the separation properties of membranes with AqpZ. Surface characterization showed that AqpZ-reconstituted proteoliposomes were successfully integrated with the polyamide matrix leading to permeate flux enhancement of up to 2.5 times. The membranes were also evaluated in terms of salt and organic matter removal. Reinforced ultrafiltration support allowed for the most effective integration between the polyamide layer and proteoliposomes giving the highest figure of merit – an aggregate metric of membrane performance that includes water permeability, selectivity and resistance to fouling.