ZwitterShield™ is an additive membrane technology using ZwitterCo’s patented zwitterionic chemistry that may be bonded to various proven membrane chemistries to equip them with a permanent barrier to irreversible organic fouling. ZwitterShield™ provides organic selectivity and fouling resistance, while the underlying polyamide chemistry provides specified solute selectivity.

ZwitterCo Elevation RO membranes with ZwitterShield™ technology feature an extremely hydrophilic membrane surface that pulls water to the membrane, actively displacing or repelling organic compounds so they cannot adhere to and foul the membrane surface all while harnessing the proven performance (i.e., salt rejection and flow) of the polyamide base chemistry. ZwitterCo Elevation membranes with ZwitterShield™ technology offer the highest resistance to organic fouling, enabling users to benefit from less cleaning, quick performance recovery, more system uptime even when water quality is affected by organics, and lower total cost of ownership

ZwitterCo membranes deliver superior value through performance and operational advantages. They offer:

• Reduced chemical cleaning costs
• Faster and easier cleaning cycles
• Increased system uptime
• High reliability in challenging applications
• Easier and safer plant operations
• Best-in-class organic fouling tolerance

These benefits make ZwitterCo membranes ideal for industrial applications where consistent performance, ease of maintenance, and operational efficiency are critical. Consult our sales experts to learn how these benefits can apply to your system.

ZwitterCo Elevation RO membranes are engineered for applications with high organic loading and challenging wastewater conditions.  

They are an excellent fit if you operate in industries such as: 

• Food & Beverage 
• Chemical Processing & Refineries 
• Heavy Industry 
• Landfill Leachate Management 

They perform reliably with feedwaters like: 

• Wastewater or Leachate 
• MBR Effluent 
• Industrial Process Water 
• High-Fouling Surface Waters 

And are especially well-suited for streams containing: 

• Natural Organic Matter (NOM), humic substances, and color 
• TOC (Total Organic Carbon), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), and other organic contaminants 
• Intermittent oil & grease, where continuous fouling suggests system design issues 

If your current system requires alkaline cleaning monthly or more often, or you’re replacing elements every 2 years or less, it may be time to consider ZwitterCo. Contact our team to assess the membrane fit for your specific operation. 

Yes. ZwitterCo Elevation 8” Low Energy BWRO 8040-34 and High Rejection BWRO 8040-34 are certified under NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Drinking Water System Components – Health Effects, which means they meet the health-based requirements for materials that come into contact with drinking water.  

Please refer to our official NSF website listing: https://info.nsf.org/Certified/PwsComponents/Listings.asp?Company=C0831746&Standard=061   

ZwitterCo Elevation RO membranes are designed to be cleaned using commodity cleaning chemicals (e.g. caustic soda), making maintenance simple, cost-effective, and operator friendly. Elevation membranes respond quickly to cleaning, typically requiring shorter cleaning cycles and less aggressive protocols than conventional RO membranes. However, we recommend not to use formulated cleaners with ionic surfactants to clean ZwitterCo Elevation elements. This ease of cleaning helps reduce downtime, improve membrane longevity, and lower operating costs. For specific cleaning recommendations, refer to ZwitterCo Elevation RO Cleaning Guide or speak with our technical team. 

• Overall cleaning costs can be reduced by over 50%. The total will depend on the current cleaning program in use with conventional membranes.
• Each step removed from the program will save about an hour of time and reduce water demand by about 25%. A simplified cleaning program also translates to less wastewater to treat.
• Removing only the enzyme step from the program can lower chemical costs by about 50%.
• Customers have experienced a decrease in cleaning-related water usage of up to 40%.

A variety of feed spacers are available:

• 30 mil
• 46 mil
• 65 mil
• 80 mil

The following element diameters are currently offered for 38” long elements:

• 8.0” (8038)
• 7.8” (7838)
• 6.4” (6438)
• 6.3” (6338)
• 3.8” (3838)

Sanitary-stye 1812 test elements are also available

ZwitterCo is willing to make element sizes not listed on the data sheets. Please contact ZwitterCo to discuss your specific opportunity further.

No. Evolution membranes are compatible with new and existing membrane systems and designs. Special system designs or modifications are not required.

These elements look and feel like traditional sanitary spiral elements with a polypropylene outerwrap and no ATDs. They are available in industry-standard dimensions and feed spacers.

FDA compliance:

• Evolution SF elements are FDA-compliant for whey and milk processing. Other applications are evaluated on a use case basis.

Evolution PCM is expected to be offered in FDA-compliant elements by the end of 2025.

Evolution RO is expected to be offered in FDA-compliant elements in early 2026.

Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004

• ZwitterCo is pursuing certification for 2026.

ZwitterCo is pursuing a number of other certifications requested by our clients with a target for late 2025 or early 2026, depending on the specific product. These include:

• Halal
• Kosher
• 3A Sanitary Standard 45-03
• USDA

• Evolution PCM: Maximum operating temperature is currently 55°C; maximum cleaning temperature is 50°C.
• Evolution SF: Maximum operating temperature is currently 55°C; maximum cleaning temperature is 50°C.
• Evolution RO: Maximum operating and cleaning temperatures are currently 40°C.

The primary cause of membrane failure is from frequent chemical cleanings – daily multi-step programs in the case of most food processing streams.

ZwitterCo anti-fouling membranes fully recover performance with fewer chemical steps, resulting in longer operating life.

While there is no single answer for how long Evolution membranes will last, ZwitterCo is so confident that Evolution membranes will last longer than conventional membranes that we guarantee it through two different sales models. Please contact ZwitterCo to discuss purchasing options.

Superfiltration membranes are a new separation class between ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. ZwitterCo superfiltration membranes deliver high fouling resistance, low energy requirements, wide pH tolerance, and the ability to be cleaned with chlorine. ZwitterCo’s Superfiltration delivers permeate quality beyond conventional UF, including partial removal of dissolved organics. It can operate as a standalone system or serve as a robust pretreatment to RO in demanding wastewater applications.

ZwitterCore™ is a new type of membrane technology using ZwitterCo’s patented zwitterionic chemistry. ZwitterCore membranes use water-permeable zwitterionic copolymers with precise selectivity to enable new paradigms in membrane processes.​ ZwitterCore membranes are composite materials built for the toughest organic fouling challenges, with high chemical resistance and extreme fouling resistance.​ ZwitterCo Expedition membranes are built from revolutionary ZwitterCore technology, enabling the treatment of previously untreatable wastewater streams.​

ZwitterCo Superfiltration has a nominal pore size of 1.5 nm (0.0015 micron), corresponding to a nominal molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 1,000 Da (1 kDa). Rejection of suspended or emulsified materials including oil, grease, turbidity and suspended solids is virtually 100%. In addition, this pore size is small enough to reject even larger dissolved organic molecules such as protein, polysaccharide, and lignins. For more specific guidance on your particular water chemistry, speak with a ZwitterCo Sales Representative.

We offer fiber-glassed spiral-wound membrane elements built with oil-resistant components in standard industrial sizes 8”, 4” and 2.5” with 46 mil diamond-type feed spacers. These membranes are most commonly used in membrane processes with high crossflow designs and operate at relatively low pressure (typically 5-10 bar).

ZwitterCo Expedition SF membranes are designed to resist fouling and are easy to clean, even when treating extraordinarily difficult feed streams Expedition SF membranes use a fast maintenance wash procedure to restore performance when necessary, which takes about an hour and can be used anywhere from once per day to once per week, depending on the water chemistry. Unlike a traditional clean-in-place (CIP) procedure which can take an entire workday, maintenance wash procedures can be automatically completed in a fraction of the time.

Yes – Expedition SF membranes provide a permeate quality that is superior to even ultrafiltration pretreatment. Superfiltration can resolve water quality issues like SDI, turbidity, TSS, and oil & grease, and reduce TOC, BOD, and COD. Please note that Expedition SF is not a “softening” membrane, and care must be taken in downstream RO to address any risks related to scaling from mineral hardness.

• Landfill Leachate​
• Food & Beverage​
  • Meat & Poultry
  • Seafood​
  • Potato & starch​
• Oil & Gas
• Heavy industry

• Untreated industrial wastewater​
• Process effluent​
• Primary or secondary treated industrial wastewater​
• Secondary or tertiary effluent as feedwater

ZwitterCo stands by its technology and is proud to offer several options for reducing customer risk exposure. For Superfiltration systems purchased from ZwitterCo, comprehensive service plans are available that include membrane replacements as well as cleaning costs. For membranes contained in certified systems purchased from ZwitterCo partners, extended warranties that guarantee element life (including failure due to organic fouling) are available.

Expedition SF membranes are designed for the heavy demands of wastewater use, while Evolution SF is a food-grade filtration product held to strict regulatory requirements. These membranes and elements are not interchangeable.