Researchers from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University have developed a game-changing water filtration system.
According to Interesting Engineering, the system can enhance or suppress specific ions' passage, functioning similarly to a cell membrane. Researchers discovered that adding trace amounts of lead ions encouraged the flow of helpful ions like potassium, doubling the amount that ended up in the water.
They then tested to see if the reverse was true. Study co-author Qinsi Xiong told Interesting Engineering: "By changing the combination of ion species, we were able to switch from a cooperative effect to an inhibitory effect."
This type of technology could remove harmful materials from water, making decontamination that much easier. It could also make it easier to extract lithium from seawater.
With electric vehicles on the rise, the demand for lithium-ion-powered batteries has simultaneously risen. This shift toward lithium, while generally less environmentally harmful than using fossil fuels, still takes a toll on the planet.
According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lithium can be mined in one of two ways: through evaporated brine or more traditional hard-rock mining, with the former being less intensive than the latter.
However, brine mining is still flawed. The process can produce about 11 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of lithium mined.
That's where this study comes in. A more refined filtration system can shave off the time it takes to extract minerals, using less energy and releasing less pollution in the long run.
These researchers aren't the only ones looking to improve lithium mining. A team of Australian researchers developed a technology that requires no water evaporation at all.
So far, the system is not yet ready to scale up. This study was intended as a jumping-off point for further research, merely setting the stage for what could be a revolutionary technology.
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