Development of Moringa Protein‐Polysaccharide Complexes for Enhanced Anti‐Scaling Properties in Reverse Osmosis Membranes for Underground Water Desalination

ABSTRACT This study introduces a Moringa oleifera protein‐alginate complex (MPAC) as an effective anti‐scaling material for reverse osmosis (RO) desalination of brackish groundwater. Extracted Moringa protein (MP) combined with sodium alginate (Alg) forms stable complexes applied as a thin film on polyamide (PA) RO membranes. Characterization techniques, including FTIR, SEM, TGA, DLS, and XRD, confirmed the structure, morphology, thermal stability, particle size (200–350 nm), zeta potential (−35 to −45 mV), and semi‐crystallinity of the MPAC. Desalination tests showed a significant reduction in scaling 60% for calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and 45% for calcium sulfate (CaSO 4 ) over 72 h, with water flux sustained at 90%–95% and salt rejection above 98%. The MPAC's anti‐scaling performance is due to its chelation of calcium and magnesium ions, forming a barrier that prevents scale nucleation. This sustainable, scalable material improves RO membrane efficiency, with future work planned to optimize its composition for broader desalination applications.