Scientists from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) created an ultrasonic washing device that removes salt from sea sand.
The findings were published in Scientific Reports. This technology has the potential to solve an urgent construction issue. Sand is a critical material used to make glass, concrete, and mortar. River sand is typically utilized for these projects because it is fine, smooth, and rounded. However, it has become increasingly scarce and, therefore, expensive.
Sea sand is difficult to use in construction materials because of its salt content. The salt can cause corrosion in the metal rebar found in concrete. This causes infrastructure to deteriorate prematurely, compromising the integrity of a building. Fixing this damage can be costly, so avoiding this problem is essential.
Desalinating sand using traditional methods typically takes 4 tons of water per 1 ton of sand. KIOST's ultrasonic tool desalinates more efficiently. It reduces the salt concentration in sand to less than 0.04%, the permissible amount recommended by the Korean government, at a 2-to-1 ratio.
"This research is significant because it offers an innovative solution to the global shortage of river sand while ensuring structural integrity and economic feasibility," KIOST President Hyi Seung Lee, per Tech Xplore. "KIOST will continue to advance this technology to enable faster and more precise processing of large volumes of sea sand."
About 50 billion tons of sand are mined for construction each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The extraction of sand from rivers and other coastal ecosystems can cause erosion, weaken flood protection, and salinate important waterways. This can have a profound impact on our water supply, local fishing industries, and the security of our homes.
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Technological advancements in sea sand desalination help builders take advantage of a more abundant material. This also presents a more affordable resource in the construction process. The researchers have only made a prototype so far. However, they suggested that this technology could be beneficial at a large-scale sea sand washing plant built on a dredging site.
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