Researchers at Alexandria University recently unveiled a new cost-effective technology that turns salt water drinkable in minutes, SciDevNet reported Thursday.
The method, referred to as pervaporation, filters salt water using membranes containing cellulose acetote powder, which is locally produced. The membrane, along with other components, binds the salt particles as the seawater passes through. The water is then heated until it evaporates before being condensed to collect small impurities, yielding clean, drinkable water.
Speaking to SciDevNet, Ahmed El-Shafei, Associate Professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering at AU, said that the easy access of the minerals used due to their cheap cost could benefit developing countries from adopting the same technology.
“The membrane we fabricated can easily be made in any laboratory using cheap ingredients, which makes it an excellent option for developing countries,” he said. According to an article by the MIT Technology Review published in March, 700 million people do not have access to clean water, and the number is expected to rise to 1.8 billion by 2025.
Unlike other techniques, pervaporation eliminates added costs as the need for electricity is null. The technology is already commonly used to in sewage treatment to separate water from organic solvents and has been used since the mid-90s.