Feasibility study of DNA-based porous membranes as gravity-driven purifications

This paper focuses on the development of DNA-based stable porous aerogel membrane (PAM) via a one-pot crosslinking reaction with genipin. Meanwhile, seaweed polymer agar was added during the fabrication of the porous aerogel membrane with the desired stability and porosity for sustainable water separations. PAMs were analysed using advanced analytical tools such as FT-IR, solid-UV, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), TGA, and SEM. PAMs were tested for the separation of oil-water and hexane-water suspensions under gravity-driven force, which exhibit high rejection (similar to 98%) with an excellent flux rate in the range of 332-389 L m(-2) h(-1). Feasibility of PAMs was also tested for the separation of naphthalene from contaminant water with a good flux rate of 384 L m(-2) h(-1). PAMs were also recycled and reused for separation experiments in the subsequent three cycles without any significant changes in their performance. The recycled PAMs exhibited biodegradability under soil conditions. This work opens new areas of utilizing biomolecule DNA to develop sustainable materials with seaweed polymers for potential separation and pharmaceutical applications.