Sustainable Pb(II) Removal and Recovery from Wastewater Using a Bioinspired Metal-Phenolic Hybrid Membrane with Efficient Regeneration

High-performance adsorbents often require efficient selectivity in wastewater, recoverability, and ease of multiple regeneration cycles, but achieving this remains a significant challenge. We report a new strategy for the efficient removal of lead (Pb(II)) from contaminated water streams using an innovative tannic acid (TA)-Fe(III)-based metal-phenolic network (MPN) hybrid membrane (MPN-PAM). This novel membrane exploits the tunable pH-sensitive coordination structure of the MPN to achieve selective removal and recovery of Pb(II) while enabling efficient membrane regeneration by filtration. This membrane demonstrates superior selectivity for Pb(II) with a removal efficiency of up to 98 % and an adsorption capacity of approximately 117.58 mg/g, even in the presence of high salinity, as well as coexisting heavy metals. The membrane maintains high Pb(II) removal efficiency over 20 consecutive cycles and 95 % efficiency over 10 regeneration cycles. Under continuous operation, it treats approximately 85 L per m² of membrane, reducing Pb(II) concentrations to trace levels (~40 μg/L), meeting electroplating wastewater standard (GB21900-2008). Additionally, even low concentrations of Pb(II) (<5 mg/L) are efficiently purified to below WHO drinking water standard (10 μg/L). The operational cost for treating Pb(II)-contaminated wastewater is about $0.13 per ton, highlighting the cost-effectiveness and potential for large-scale application in wastewater treatment.