Researchers have discovered a new way to use dialysis medical technology to treat high-salinity organic wastewaters — a type of wastewater that's normally difficult to process, per a Rice University article posted on Tech Xplore.
Dialysis is used to treat kidney failure in humans by filtering waste and unneeded fluid from their blood. Once the blood is drawn from the body and cleansed through a machine called a dialyzer, it's returned to the patient via a different needle or tube.
Rice University researchers collaborated with colleagues from Guangdong University of Technology to conduct dialysis technology experiments on high-salinity organic wastewaters. Detailed in the study published in Nature Water, the team found that mimicking this method allowed them to separate salts from organic substances with minimal dilution of the wastewater.
High-salinity organic wastewaters typically pose difficult challenges for conventional methods of treatment processing. This dialysis technology has the potential to reduce environmental impacts while lowering costs and enabling the recovery of critical resources.
"Dialysis was astonishingly effective in separating the salts from the organics in our trials," said Menachem Elimelech, a corresponding author on the study.
"It's an exciting discovery with the potential to redefine how we handle some of our most intractable wastewater challenges," Elimelech said in the Tech Xplore article.
The current treatment process for this type of wastewater requires excessive amounts of freshwater and a lot of energy. Researchers found the dialysis technology reduces water consumption and operational energy demands — saving water and decreasing pollution.
Technology advancements like this can make a huge dent in pollution output, keeping our air cleaner and reducing the impacts of the climate crisis. Massive industries like the pharmaceutical, textile manufacturing, and petrochemical sectors generate high-salinity organic wastewater.
A new process that cuts down on water consumption and pollution output from treating the wastewaters created by major industries could make a significant impact on curbing rising global temperatures.
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Definitely 👍 "Dialysis offers a sustainable solution for treating complex, high-salinity waste streams by conserving freshwater, reducing energy costs and minimizing fouling," Elimelech said in the Tech Xplore article. "Its diffusion-driven approach could revolutionize the treatment of some of the most challenging industrial wastewaters."
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