Research Progress on Anti-Fouling Mechanisms and Performance Optimization of External Field-Assisted Membrane Separation Technology

Benefiting from low energy consumption, high separation performance, membrane technologies have been widely adopted in wastewater treatment and reuse. However, membrane fouling and the resulting limited membrane lifespan have emerged as the major bottlenecks restricting their widespread development and practical applications. Given these limitations, this review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in external field-assisted membrane separation technologies. Specifically, the effects of various external fields, including magnetic fields, light fields, electric fields, ultrasound, and microbubbles, are systematically discussed. This review systematically compares the antifouling performance of various external field-assisted membrane separation technologies and summarizes the underlying mechanisms responsible for fouling mitigation. In addition, the economic feasibility and key operational parameters are critically evaluated. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of the external field-assisted membrane separation technologies are outlined.