Treating high-salinity wastewater is critically important to protecting our planet, yet it has long been something science has struggled to do effectively. However, a breakthrough study recently published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences on Tech Xplore may offer an answer to this major environmental problem.
The breakthrough comes in the form of a membrane developed by a team of researchers at the academy's Institute of Process Engineering. The revolutionary nanofiltration membrane provides nearly 60% salt permeation and is amazingly effective at removing organic matter while also providing antifouling properties.
"[This is] among the best results reported for [nanofiltration] membranes in the literature," said one of the study authors, Prof. Luo Jianquan.
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Never 👎 So, why is this new membrane such a big deal?
High-salinity wastewater has pretty much always been a significant issue for water treatment scientists. This is largely because none of the various methods used to treat wastewater are particularly effective. The high salt content prevents the growth of bacteria that break down organic material in the wastewater. Methods used to remove that salt are high energy and costly.
This issue is particularly pressing because of how dangerous untreated saline water can be to our ecosystems. It can do serious damage to people, plants, animals, soil, groundwater, and more.
What's worse is that high-salinity wastewater is a byproduct of a tremendous number of industrial processes. Some key industries that produce this difficult-to-treat wastewater include pharmaceuticals, mining, textiles, food processing, and more.
While it's not likely we can eliminate high-salinity wastewater from industrial processes, it now seems we may be able to effectively treat it. This new nanofiltration membrane incorporates a mixed charge that improves its ability to separate salt from wastewater.
Although the technology is still in its fledgling stages, this development certainly brings some hope to the future of wastewater treatment.
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