A method for making a composite polyamide including the steps of: i) applying a polar solution comprising a polyfunctional amine monomer and a non-polar solution comprising a polyfunctional acyl halide monomer to a surface of a porous support and interfacially polymerizing the monomers to form a thin film polyamide layer; ii) treating the thin film polyamide layer with a polyfunctional arene compound; and iii) exposing the thin film polyamide layer to nitrous acid; wherein the non-polar solutions further comprises at least one of the following: (A) at least 50 vol % of a C5 to C20 aliphatic hydrocarbon and from 2 to 25 vol % of benzene or benzene substituted with one or more C1 to C6 alkyl groups; and (B) an acid-containing monomer comprising a C2-C20 hydrocarbon moiety substituted with at least one carboxylic acid functional group or salt thereof and at least one amine-reactive functional group.