M. Daramola
"Role of membrane science and technology in actualizing UN sustainable development goals (no-6)"
Within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responsible resource production and consumption in a way that preserves ecological footprint coupled with challenge to meet the needs of the growing population while minimising the pressure on the planet will be the great challenge of engineers and scientists.
Thus, development and application of energy-efficient and economically viable membrane materials and procesess will facilitate development of circular economy (CE), that is regarded as a resource optimisation concept that stimulates conservation of materials, energy and other resources by reducing, reusing and recycling, thereby accelerating the realization of the SDGs, in particular goal 6.
Recently, research efforts have been directed at eliminating or minimising the negative ecological footprints of unsustainable industrial activities by treating, reducing, reusing and recycling waste materials (solid/liquid/gas) via membrane science and technology. Presence of energy-efficient membrane processes could be instrumental to beneficiating and creating value-added commodities from these waste products. These efforts are integral to the circular economy concepts. Therefore, this lecture will highlight some thought-provoking research activities in this area