Article
Environmental Sciences
Argyris Panagopoulos
Summary: This research article examines the technical and economic aspects of zero liquid discharge (ZLD) desalination systems using two different crystallization processes, and compares their water recovery rates, energy demands, and costs. The results show that both scenarios are viable, but scenario 1 has higher water recovery and greater energy and cost demands.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohammad Reza Moradi, Arto Pihlajamaki, Mehrdad Hesampour, Mariana Figueira, Monica Reig, Jose Luis Cortina, Cesar Valderrama, Mika Manttari
Summary: Nowadays, brine produced in RO seawater desalination plants is an important and underutilized source of critical minerals and metals. By using nanofiltration membranes and the Layer-by-Layer technique, polyamide NF membranes can be modified to separate brine into monovalent and multivalent ion-rich streams. The study found that Desal-5 DL membrane coated with 5.5 bilayers provided the highest selectivity factors and average rejection rate for multivalent cations.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sivan Klas, Idan Rom, Yakov Peretz
Summary: Global production of desalinated water has increased significantly in the past three decades. Brackish water desalination is more energetically efficient than seawater desalination, but it faces challenges in terms of high treatment costs and negative environmental impact. This study evaluated the potential for commercial aquaculture using calcium-rich groundwater desalination concentrate in high-flowrate conditions. The results showed that the partially softened concentrate had the highest average growth rate for European seabass fingerlings, surpassing both the raw concentrate and control groups. However, operational issues and minor gill damage were observed when using raw concentrate.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Adrian Gil-Trujillo, J. Jaime Sadhwani Alonso
Summary: This article analyzes the sustainability of brine management and proposes 7 Sustainable Brine Management Goals, 11 targets, and 18 monitoring indicators. It also presents a practical case in the Canary Islands, Spain to evaluate the scope of these goals.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Giuseppe Genduso, Anton Missinne, Zain Ali, Wojciech Ogieglo, Bart Van der Bruggen, Ingo Pinnau
Summary: The study investigated the pervaporative desalination of synthetic seawater and brines using a PDMS thin-film composite membrane, demonstrating high water permeance and exceptional NaCl rejection. The PDMS composite membrane showed outstanding pure water flux even at high temperatures and with salt presence in the feed water, performing among the best compared with hydrophilic TFC polymer membranes reported previously.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hugo Valdes, Aldo Saavedra, Marcos Flores, Ismael Vera-Puerto, Hector Avina, Marisol Belmonte
Summary: The study highlights the importance of strict regulations by countries to prevent contamination of receiving water bodies by reverse osmosis concentrate, as well as the adoption of circular economies by desalination plants. Currently, synergizing conventional and emerging technologies is the most efficient method to mitigate the environmental impact of desalination processes.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lijie Zhong, Xuan Jiang, Runqiu Zhang, Jiahui Shao, Lina Chi, Yalin Wang, Jinping Jia, Diwen Ying
Summary: This paper presents a method using selectrodialysis with a PPy(Cl) composite membrane to reutilize concentrated brine and produce high-purity HCl, NaOH, and Na2SO4. The selective membrane prepared in the study showed enhanced selectivity for chloride ions and was able to separate NaCl and Na2SO4 effectively. The method not only eliminated hazardous waste but also recycled valuable products, making it a promising application in the coal chemical industry.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Boor Singh Lalia, Raed Hashaikeh
Summary: Desalination of seawater is a main method for producing fresh water in many countries, but waste brine or concentrate rejects can have adverse effects on the environment due to high salinity. This study presents a simple process for reducing the salinity of concentrated brine and producing calcium and magnesium oxides, using an electrochemical system. By applying a DC potential, the system reduces the TDS of the brine solution and decreases cations and anions in the treated brine.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hunter Barber, Lian-Shin Lin, Fernando Lima
Summary: This study explores the feasibility and effectiveness of a cotreatment process for cooling tower blowdown and produced water. By simulating chemical softening, filtration, reverse osmosis, multi-effect distillation, and electrolysis, the study shows that the synergistic treatment process can partially or completely meet the water demand of industrial plants.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Guangcheng Wang, Gui Min Shi, Sui Zhang
Summary: A pioneering adsorption-pervaporation membrane was developed for efficient enrichment and capture of uranium from seawater, while producing clean water. This study provides a strategy for recovering critical elements from ocean seawater resources.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hasan Fareed, Kyunghoon Jang, Woojin Lee, In S. Kim, Seunghee Han
Summary: An additive-free self-crosslinking technique was optimized to prepare MXene-coated pervaporation desalination membranes. The self-crosslinked MXene membrane at 140 degrees Celsius (M140) exhibited the best performance, with a stable d-spacing of 1.43 nm in distilled water and 1.48 nm in a 10 wt% NaCl solution. M140 showed a permeation flux of 70 kg m(2)h(-1) and salt rejection up to 99.9% for a 100 g/L NaCl solution at a feed temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. M140 also demonstrated successful suppression of salt transport on the permeate side during a 48-hour operation test with simulated brine.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Enrico Zacchei, Caio Gorla Nogueira
Summary: With the increasing global population and industrial production, the demand for water continues to rise. By 2030, 60.0% of the world population will lack access to freshwater, accounting for -2.50% of the total global water. Over 17,000 operational desalination plants have been constructed worldwide, but the main obstacle lies in the high production of brine, which is 50.0% more than freshwater and contributes to 5.0-33.0% of the total desalination cost. This paper proposes a new theoretical brine treatment approach combining electrokinetic and electrochemical mechanisms using alkaline clay. The feasibility, size, and usability of the clay have been evaluated through advanced numerical and analytical analyses, demonstrating the potential for clean brine production and mineral recovery.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yuhao Du, Li Wang, Abdessamad Belgada, Saad Alami Younssi, Jack Gilron, Menachem Elimelech
Summary: The transport of salt and water through leaky membranes is crucial in various scientific and engineering disciplines, particularly in low-salt-rejection reverse osmosis (LSRRO) technology. Accurate models describing salt transport in LSRRO membranes are essential for its further development and optimization. In this study, we used the solution-friction model to describe salt transport in LSRRO membranes and simplified it to the classic Spiegler-Kedem-Katchalsky model. Our findings reveal the dependence of membrane parameters on feed salt concentration and quantify the frictions among salt, water, and membrane.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ihsanullah Ihsanullah, Muataz A. Atieh, Muhammad Sajid, Mazen K. Nazal
Summary: Desalination of seawater is a viable process to meet the increasing demand for freshwater, but it may have potential environmental impacts. This study critically evaluates the impacts on marine environment, land, groundwater, and air quality, and proposes mitigation measures. The use of modern technologies to address challenges in desalination is also discussed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hossein Ataei Far, Amir Hessam Hassani, Lobat Taghavi, Mojtaba Fazeli, Abdollah Rashidi Mehrabadi
Summary: Based on the evaluation of samples taken from the Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO) plant in Eshtehard, Iran, this study demonstrated the performance of bench-scale EDR in removing total dissolved solids (TDS) from brackish water. The results showed that temperature and voltage had significant influences on the efficiency of the EDR process. The successful reduction of TDS and electrical conductivity (EC) in the second stage brine suggests that the hybrid process of RO-EDR-RO could be the best choice for the development of the Eshtehard Desalination Plant.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yunfei Yu, Xue Yang, Chenchen Zhang, Jie Chen, Wei Lin, Jianqiang Meng
Summary: This study reports an environmentally friendly and simple approach for preparing double-network (DN) ion gel membranes with high strength and excellent gas separation performance. By optimizing crosslinking density, mass ratio, and the type and content of free ionic liquid, the mechanical and gas separation properties of the DN membrane are improved.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Si-qi Jiang, Qiang Gao, Xi-guang Li, Chao-zhu Deng, Jun Qiu, Xiang-nan Zhu
Summary: A dual-strengthening pretreatment method is proposed to remove PVDF more efficiently and enhance the leaching of LiCoO2. Experimental results show that dual-strengthening pretreatment can effectively remove PVDF and significantly improve the leaching efficiency compared to single pretreatment methods.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zengchi Hu, Xiaoyu Wang, Xiaohui Zhang, Xue Li, Jiangbin Xia
Summary: The rapid fabrication of high-performance composite membranes based on CMPs using simple and low-cost methods is challenging. In this study, three CMPs-based composite membranes were rapidly fabricated with adjustable size using unidirectional diffusion synthesis. The microstructural design enhanced the rejection rates of the membranes and they showed strong hydrolytic resistance, thermal stability, and acid-base resistance. Electrostatic adsorption and the adjustable microstructures significantly varied the repellence of the membranes to different charged molecules.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Farzaneh Rouhani, Matineh Ayedi, Nasser Safari
Summary: Introducing defects into porous metal-organic frameworks is important for improving their adsorption performance. Quasi-MOFs, an underutilized variant of large-scale, fundamentally deficient MOFs, have been found to have substantial amounts of unsaturated metal sites to offset the drawbacks of MOFs. In this study, a quasi-MOF was produced using a water-stable MOF and demonstrated significantly improved phosphate adsorption capability due to the presence of defect sites.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Valentin Reungoat, Morad Chadni, Louis M. M. Mouterde, Fanny Brunissen, Florent Allais, Helene Ducatel, Irina Ioannou
Summary: This study focuses on the recovery of sinapic acid using liquid-liquid extraction assisted by a hollow fiber membrane contactor from an aqueous feed obtained through the hydrolysis of mustard bran. The screening of solvents of different chemical nature showed that all tested solvents had an extraction efficiency of more than 80% for pH < 5. Four solvents were selected for use in the hollow fiber membrane contactor, and the volatile solvents showed higher mass transfer coefficients compared to non-volatile solvents. The extraction efficiency was intensified by increasing the initial concentration of sinapic acid and the feed-to-solvent ratio. CPME was found to have optimal recovery efficiency at a phase ratio of 8:1, yielding 0.9 g of sinapic acid per liter of CPME used.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Takahiro Sakamoto, Takafumi Hanada, Hayate Sato, Mayu Kamisono, Masahiro Goto
Summary: The emergence of the battery society has led to a high demand for battery metals, resulting in a strain on their supply. This study introduces a novel technique using a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) for leaching and recovering battery metals from low-grade nickel laterite ores. The DES enables selective leaching and recovery of the metals, offering a promising pathway for the extraction of critical battery metals.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Rongrong He, Jiarui Chen, Chunyao Zhang, Dan Lu, Lin Zhang, Tao He
Summary: Researcher has developed a method to quantify the charge density in nanofiltration (NF) membrane separation layer and applied it in NF membranes that can separate Mg2+ and Li+. The results showed that overcompensated amine groups played a major role, and there was a linear relationship between charge density and coating bi-layers or PAH layers.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhijian Zhang, Min Chen, Zhe Lin, Zhichao Yang, Yafeng Du, Zhihui Chen, Zhenhao Yang, Kongyin Zhao, Ligang Lin
Summary: Membrane technology plays an important role in molecular/ion separation processes, but faces challenges such as membrane fouling. This study introduces a new ion-crosslinking method to fabricate copper alginate hydrogel membranes with improved mechanical strength and antimicrobial capabilities. The membranes exhibit excellent separation performance and enhanced long-term molecule/ion separation through improved anti-swelling properties. Molecular dynamics simulations and life cycle analysis highlight the pore structure and environmental friendliness of the hydrogel membranes. These findings provide valuable insights for developing sustainable hydrogel membranes with stable performance and high separation efficiency.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dongmei Liu, Aiying Guo, Yanling Qi, Zhixin Ji, Hongjuan Li, Zhiwei Zhang, Xinyue Zhang, Kunze Wu, Aijun Cai
Summary: In this study, a stable magnetic Mg/Mn-layered double oxide-doped biochar composite (MgMnLDO-MBC) was prepared and successfully used for the removal of antibiotics and bacteria from wastewater. The composite exhibited enhanced surface areas, adsorption sites, and free radicals, leading to improved catalytic activity. The effects of different factors on the removal efficiency were evaluated, and the composite showed good reusability.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Feng Wang, Zhaoyong Bian, Yaru Zhang, Wenchao Yu, Qiang Zhang, Hui Wang
Summary: In this study, a nanofibrous layered structure of Ff-Ti3C2Tx-Co3O4 was prepared by self-assembling nanofibrous Co3O4 with lamellar fluorine-free MXene (Ff-Ti3C2Tx). The Ff-Ti3C2Tx-Co3O4 exhibited excellent catalytic activity for degradation, resistant to ionic interference, and maintained high removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in municipal wastewater. The rapid SMX degradation involved fast electron transfer in redox cycles with PMS and the generation of 1O2 via PMS ->center dot O2 -> 1O2. This work provides new insights into antibiotic degradation mechanisms and electron transfer based on PMS activation.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weipeng He, Jiacheng Luo, Yujie Wu, Tianhao Luo, Chen Tang
Summary: This study comparatively evaluated the role of cationic, anionic, and nonionic polyacrylamides (PAMs) in ballasted flocculation of clay suspensions under different aluminum sulfate (AS) coagulant dosages. The selection of PAMs and AS dosage had a significant influence on the size and shear resistance of ballasted floc aggregates.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lixian Wang, Lizhi Zhao, Didi Si, Zhixin Li, Huiqin An, Hui Ye, Qingping Xin, Hong Li, Yuzhong Zhang
Summary: Metalloporphyrin-based nanozymes integrated with poly (vinylidene fluoride) membrane show high catalytic activity and reusability for the decolorization of Congo Red dye in continuous flow process.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yongfei Ma, Chenyu Zeng, Yongzhen Ding, Jiayi Tang, Ondrej Masek, Zhikang Deng, Rui Mu, Zulin Zhang
Summary: In this study, sludge-derived biochar (SBC) was functionalized with various iron salts to enhance its adsorption ability for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and magnetic collection performance. Ball milling was further employed to treat the optimal iron salt functionalized SBC (MSBC), resulting in ball milled SBC (BMSBC) with improved adsorption performance for SMX. The dominant driving mechanism for SMX adsorption onto BMSBC was confirmed to be multiple physicochemical forces, including 7C-7C conjugation, pore filling, H-bonding, Fe-O complexation, and electrostatic interactions. BMSBC exhibited favorable adsorption ability for SMX in actual waters and could be easily collected within 1 min due to its magnetic sensitivity.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jinglin Tan, Xiaohui Mao, Wenjihao Hu, Hongbo Zeng
Summary: This study investigates the influence of PDMS chain architectures on surface properties and reveals that PDMS coatings with looped structures exhibit superior hydrophobicity, self-cleaning, and water sliding compared to coatings with linear structures. Additionally, both looped and linear PDMS coated stainless steel mesh/polyester fibers show efficient separation of oil/water mixture.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wei-Liang Chen, Chih-Chia Cheng, Chien-Hsing Lu, Jem-Kun Chen
Summary: This study designs a novel sandwich-structured capacitor that reduces the absorption time of pollutants using dielectrophoresis force. By coating graphene oxide on polystyrene microspheres as adsorbents and encapsulating them within the capacitor, the adsorption rate is significantly enhanced. Additionally, frequency manipulation allows for the recycling of adsorbents and concentration of dyes, minimizing secondary pollution.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)