As
demand for clean water increases, there is a growing need for
effective sustainable water treatment systems. We used the symbiotic
culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) that forms while brewing kombucha
tea as a living water filtration membrane (LFM). The LFMs function
as ultrafiltration membranes with a permeability of 135 ± 25
L m–2 h–1 bar–1 and a 90% rejection of 30 nm nanoparticles. Because they contain
living microorganisms that produce cellulose fibers, the surface of
an LFM heals after a puncture or incision. Following punctures or
incisions, membrane permeability, after a rapid increase postpuncture,
returns to 110–250% of the original flux after 10 days in a
growth solution. Additionally, LFMs may be manufactured using readily
available materials, increasing membrane production accessibility.