Robust SWCNT-OH/GO membranes for scalable recovery of moxifloxacin from high-salinity organic wastewater

Membrane-based separation offers a sustainable route for resource recovery from high-salinity organic wastewater, yet graphene oxide (GO) membranes remain constrained by poor selectivity, limited solvent stability, and challenges in scale-up. Here, we report a hydroxylated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT-OH) reinforced GO membrane, in which SWCNT-OH promotes robust inorganic crosslinking with sodium tetraborate (Na2B4O7) to form rapid transport channels for water and ions, while suppressing organic passage. This architecture enhances the moxifloxacin (MXF)/NaCl separation factor more than fivefold (from 4.2 to 22.2) and increases water permeability over fourfold (from 7.2 to 30.1 l m−2 h−1 bar−1). The membrane was scaled up to 11 m2 and deployed for continuous treatment of MXF crystallization mother liquor over seven days, delivering a stable recovery of 10 kg MXF per day under industrially relevant conditions. These findings establish a scalable strategy for the design of robust nanocarbon-based membranes, advancing resource-efficient treatment of high-salinity wastewater. The authors develop a scalable SWCNT-OH-reinforced GO membrane that simultaneously improves moxifloxacin/NaCl separation and water permeability, enabling pilot-scale recovery of 10 kg moxifloxacin per day from high-salinity organic wastewater.