Antibacterial polymeric membranes: a short review

Pathogenic contamination of water is a major issue throughout the world. The growing demand for pure drinking water calls for new promising technologies for efficient removal of bacteria. Over the last few years, the membrane disinfection process has received immense interest as a cost-effective, scalable and environmentally-friendly technology to produce clean and safe drinking water. With the rising population of multi-drug resistant bacteria, different antibacterial agents have been effectively impregnated into polymeric matrixes to impart excellent disinfection properties as well as higher separation efficiency. However, there are many arguments in the current literature about the exact antibacterial mechanism, life span and biocompatibility of these membranes. This review aims to summarize the recent advances in fabrication and antimicrobial efficacy of polymeric membranes, offering knowledge on how different bactericidal agents influence their stability, disinfection potential and environmental safety. Critical discussions are also undertaken about various influencing parameters, like selection of antibacterial additives, membrane properties, disinfection mechanism and operational feasibility.