Microfiltration, Groundwater Remediation and Environmental Engineering Science - A Scientific Perspective and a Far-reaching Review Sukanchan Palit Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Post Office-Bidholi via Premnagar, Dehradun-248007, Uttarakhand, India ABSTRACT The environmental engineering paradigm is surpassing one visionary frontier over another. Mankind today stands in the midst of optimism and scientific vision. The world of challenges is befitting to the progress of human civilization. The road to progress in implementation of environmental sustainability is vast, varied and ground-breaking. In such a crucial juncture of history and time, the need of application of environmental engineering science is of immense and effective importance. Microfiltration and other membrane separation processes are the ultimate avenues of scientific and engineering progress. Science and engineering are moving steadfastly towards a newer scientific generation and a newer scientific understanding. The step forward is painstaking as regards zero-discharge norms. Environmental regulations and stringent environmental restrictions have plunged the scientific community to devise paths towards progress. Industrial pollution control, wastewater treatment and application of microfiltration are the primordial issues targeted in this treatise. The focus towards addressing novel separation processes and novel environmental engineering techniques stands today as a formidable challenge in the road towards zero-discharge norms. The author diligently and lucidly brings forward to the scientific community the immense rigorous and effective challenges in the application of microfiltration as an efficient membrane separation process. History of environmental engineering science, history of science and technology needs to be readdressed and reassessed in the future application of membrane science as an efficient separation technique. Nat. Env. & Poll. Tech. Website: www.neptjournal.com Received: 27-12-2014 Accepted: 03-03-2015 Key Words: Membrane Microfiltration Ultrafiltration Arsenic Groundwater 2015 pp. 817 -825 Vol. 14 ISSN: 0972-6268 No. 4 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology An International Quarterly Scientific Journal General Research Paper INTRODUCTION Microfiltration has an umbilical cord with environmental engineering science and industrial wastewater treatment. The domain of environmental engineering and environmen- tal sustainability today stands on a strong foothold and a visionary groundwork. Environmental pollution control is the primordial issue which needs to be tackled with the progress of humanity and road to excel in science and engi- neering. Zero-discharge norms stands today in the midst of immense vision as well as instinctive scientific endeavour. Microfiltration is such a branch of membrane science which is surpassing visionary scientific frontiers. Microfiltration (abbreviated as MF) is a type of physi- cal filtration process where a contaminated fluid is passed through a special pore-sized membrane to separate micro- organisms and suspended particles from process liquid (Cheryan 1998). It is commonly used in conjunction with various other separation processes such as ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. Microfiltration serves as a pretreatment for other separation processes such as ultrafiltration and a post- treatment as a granular media filtration (Kepa et al. 2008, Zhou et al. 2002, Cheryan 1998). The typical particle size used for microfiltration ranges from 0.1 to 10 µm. In terms of approximate molecular weight these membranes can screen and separate macromolecules generally less than 100,000/mol (Cheryan 1998). Microfiltration surpasses various and varied challenges- scientific as well as economical. In today’s scientific civili- zation and scientific pursuits, one needs to look at the economy and efficiency of the process. In such a visionary platform, microfiltration rises above other membrane sepa- ration processes with its biochemical engineering applica- tions. Microfiltration, membrane science and environmen- tal engineering science in today’s scientific world is effec- tively surpassing visionary frontiers and reaching out to millions with respect to global water shortage, industrial wastewater treatment and provision of clean drinking wa- ter. Science and technology applications in human society is opening up new doors and newer visionary avenues in years to come (Cheryan 1998). VISION BEHIND THE PRESENT TREATISE Scientific vision and scientific truth today are the primor- dial issues in progress of today’s human civilization. The author clearly delineates the importance of microfiltration in environmental engineering science and biochemical sepa- rations. Zero-discharge norms, industrial wastewater treat- ment and environmental sustainability shapes the future of