Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it plans to launch the F-HFUG Series ultrafiltration (UF) membrane module in May this year for wastewater reuse. It has completed mass production technology and product reliability evaluations for the new offering, whose helps improve lower-biofouling performance of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and stabilizes long-term operations. This module is based on a high-removal UF membrane that the company unveiled in February 2025.
© Toray
Nations everywhere are tightening wastewater regulations as water demand rises. Regions with limited resources position reusing wastewater as vital for supply stability. The challenge is that wastewater contains a lot of biopolymers that are a key cause of the biofouling (see note) that clogs membranes.
Proprietary micropore control technology delivered a nominal pore size of just0.005 micrometers, among smallest in the industry according to Toray research as of April this year.
Toray's advance slashes the permeate volume of biopolymers to around one-third of that of its conventional counterparts. Biopolymers are normally hard to remove. Pilot tests at a wastewater treatment plant demonstrated that the company's UF membrane suppresses biofouling of downstream RO membranes while maintaining UF permeate flow. The decrease in RO water production attributable to biopolymers is around one-third that of regular membranes. This advantage should reduce chemical cleaning frequency and RO operational issues, helping cut overall wastewater reuse operating costs while lowering water production expenses.
Toray is deploying its UF membrane business globally, focusing on North America, which is accelerating the adoption of wastewater reuse processes. The company will exhibit its new product at IFAT Munich 2026, the world's premier trade fair for environmental technologies, which runs from May 4 through 7.
Under the IGNITION 2028 medium-term management program that debuted at the start of April, Toray aims to expand its water treatment business in such areas as seawater desalination and wastewater reuse. The company will help the world address resource challenges by providing advanced water treatment membrane solutions and top-notch technical support.
