Stanford researchers have developed a device that can convert waste from desalination facilities into commercial chemicals. (Image credit: Pixabay/Jarmoluk)
Stanford researchers have developed a device that can convert waste from desalination facilities into commercial chemicals. (Image credit: Pixabay/Jarmoluk) Desalination - the conversion of saltwater to freshwater - has been limited by high operational costs. A new device capable of turning desalination waste into commercially valuable chemicals could make the process cheaper and more environmentally friendly. Taking a new approach to an old problem, Stanford researchers have created a device that could make converting seawater to freshwater profitable and environmentally benign. Their research, published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering , outlines an efficient method for transforming water with very high concentrations of salt and chemicals, known as brine, into commercially valuable chemicals as part of the desalination process. The approach avoids the need for disposing potentially hazardous chemicals in local ecosystems. "Desalination could be a powerful tool to mitigate water scarcity around the world, but it is limited by energetic and monetary costs for treatment and brine management," said study senior author Will Tarpeh , an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Stanford.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
