Membrane　electrochemical　reactor　(MER)　shows　superiority　to　electrochemical　oxidation　(EO)　in　high　salinity　organic　wastewater　(HSOW)　treatment,　but　requirement　of　proton　exchange　membranes　(PEM)　increases　investment　and　maintenance　cost.　In　this　work,　the　feasibility　of　using　low-cost　pressure-driven　membranes　as　the　separation　membrane　in　MER　system　was　systematically　investigated.　Commonly　used　pressure-driven　membranes,　including　loose　membranes　such　as　microfiltration　(MF)　and　ultrafiltration　(UF),　as　well　as　dense　membranes　like　nanofiltration　(NF)　and　reverse　osmosis　(RO),　were　employed　in　the　study.　When　tested　in　a　contamination-free　solution,　MF　and　UF　exhibited　superior　electrochemical　performance　compared　to　PEM,　with　comparable　pH　regulation　capabilities　in　the　short　term.　When　foulant　(humic　acid,　Ca2+　and　Mg2+)　presented　in　the　feed,　UF　saved　the　most　energy　(43　%)　compared　to　PEM　with　similar　removal　rate　of　UV254　(∼85　%).　In　practical　applications　of　MER　for　treating　nanofiltration　concentrate　(NC)　of　landfill　leachate,　UF　saved　27　%　energy　compared　to　PEM　per　cycle　with　the　least　Ca2+　and　Mg2+　retention　in　membrane　and　none　obvious　organics　permeation.　For　fouled　RO　and　PEM　with　ion　transport　impediment,　water　splitting　was　exacerbated,　which　decreased　the　percentage　of　oxidation　for　organics.　Overall,　replacing　of　PEM　with　UF　significantly　reduce　the　costs　associated　with　both　the　investment　and　operation　of　MER,　which　is　expected　to　broaden　the　practical　application　for　treating　HSOW.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd