Freshwater shortages and pollution from desalination plants often go hand in hand, but a new method suggests that tradeoff may not be permanent.
Researchers out of the University of Rochester developed a system that could turn seawater into drinking water without producing the concentrated brine waste that has long been one of desalination's biggest drawbacks.
In a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Light: Science & Applications, the researchers described a novel technique that pulls salts out of seawater as solids rather than leaving behind highly concentrated liquid brine.
The system combines solar power with a special black metal that absorbs sunlight, allowing for the collection of solid salts and avoiding liquid waste products.
Conventional desalination is energy-intensive and produces waste brine that can be difficult and expensive to manage and may harm marine ecosystems if discharged improperly. This technique has the potential to eliminate that problem.
"In this work, we developed a true sustainable and environmental-friendly solution for desalination and salt extraction of actual ocean water," the study's authors explained.
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Desalination has often been criticized not just for its energy use but also for creating a problem after the freshwater is made. A process that leaves behind solids rather than a toxic slurry could reduce disposal challenges and ease pressure on nearby waterways.
The University of Rochester noted that this system could also aid in the collection of lithium salts, which are useful for various modern technologies. "Mining lithium from the Earth has proven to be very taxing from an energy and environmental standpoint, so pulling lithium directly from saltwater could be a very important future route," study leader Chunlei Guo said.
If salts and minerals can be recovered and sold instead of discarded, that could improve the economics of desalination. A plant that produces useful materials as well as water may be easier to justify and scale.
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