In the past, water treatment was a simple procedure. The raw water was taken directly from a river or lake and then filtered and disinfected. However, as cities grew, we began to use groundwater instead of surface water. This led to an increased risk of contamination and a need for advanced treatment methods. Nowadays, many new technologies are available to treat water safely without compromising quality or taste. Here are some of the most exciting new tech trends in water purification:
The Nanoscale: A New Frontier
The nanoscale has been a source of fascination for scientists and engineers for decades. Still, recent advances in technology have made it possible to harness the power of the nanoscale to transform water purification. In the past, we have only been able to manipulate matter at the macroscale—that is, on an atomic level. Any alterations or improvements had to be made manually through human intervention. But now, we can manipulate matter at the nanoscale and make real changes in our environment.
The first step was taken in 2001 when researchers discovered that they could use graphene—a one-atom-thick layer of carbon—to remove bacteria from water. Since then, we have devised several methods for removing bacteria from water using graphene as a filter. These include using graphene oxide sheets as filters and carbon nanotubes as membranes.
Nanotechnology can be used to remove bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants from water through the use of nanoscale materials. These materials are smaller than 100 nanometers (nm), or one-billionth of a meter, and they have special properties that allow them to interact with water at very small scales. One example is silver nanoparticles (AgNP), used as antimicrobial agents in water purification systems. They kill bacteria by disrupting their membrane structure, causing them to burst and die. The AgNP particles can be easily removed from the treated water once their job is done by simply filtering them out with microfiltration membranes or reverse osmosis membranes.
New Advances in Filters
There is a lot of interest in new advances in water filters. The water-treatment industry has been rapidly evolving, and many new technologies are being developed.
One of these is the use of nanotechnology to create filters. Nanotechnology is used to develop new types of membranes that can filter out particles of all sizes (including viruses and bacteria). These membranes will be able to remove contaminants from the water more effectively than traditional filters. Another approach, called membrane distillation, involves using nanoscale materials such as graphene or carbon nanotubes designed specifically for this purpose. This approach can improve efficiency and reduce costs compared with conventional distillation techniques.
A third development involves using ionic liquids (solutions made up of charged ions) as an alternative to traditional chemical disinfectants such as chlorine or ozone during purification processes such as microfiltration or ultrafiltration.
Here are some of the most exciting new advances in water filtration.
Aquaporin
Aquaporin is a membrane made from a protein that allows water to pass through but keeps out other molecules. This could be useful in creating membranes used in wastewater treatment facilities or even desalination plants.
Ceramic Membranes
These membranes can effectively filter out undesirable compounds with high efficiency and low cost. They’re also durable, which makes them ideal for use in remote locations where repairs may be difficult to make.
Electrospun Nanofibers
Electrospinning polymer solutions make these nanofibers onto an electrically charged rotating drum. Because they’re so small and porous, they can trap tiny particles while allowing water to flow through unimpeded. This could be an alternative to sand filtration systems or carbon filters when dealing with smaller amounts of wastewater or polluted water sources such as lakes and rivers (instead of large reservoirs).
Infrastructure Breakdown
As infrastructure ages and breaks down, it becomes harder and more expensive to fix. When your pipes are old, they need to be replaced. It’s not just the cost of replacing them; it’s also the fact that water mains break more often as they age. This can cause serious problems if your pipes break when you’re not home, or there’s no one around to fix them.
Fortunately, there are new technologies that can help prevent these issues. For example, you can use remote sensors on your home’s water system that will alert you if there is a problem with your system (like if it freezes or bursts). These sensors are usually connected to a smartphone app, so they’ll let you know if something needs attention while giving you peace of mind at the same time.
Membrane Separation Purification Solutions
Membrane separation is a process that uses membranes to separate substances based on their size, charge, and solubility. Membrane separation is used in many industries, including water treatment. Membrane separation is used in water purification because it can remove contaminants such as bacteria or viruses without using chemicals. This means membrane separation processes are more environmentally friendly than other purification methods. Membrane separation can also be used when removing specific minerals (such as calcium or magnesium) or organic molecules from water (such as pesticides).
Membrane separation systems are available in various configurations, each with different advantages and disadvantages. For example, one type of membrane separation system uses an ultrafiltration membrane; another uses an ultrafiltration membrane combined with reverse osmosis; another uses microfiltration, and another uses nanofiltration. Each system has performance specifications that must be considered before choosing one for your application.
We’re facing an uncertain future with water.
Water is a critical resource and scarce resource. As the world grows more urbanized and more people move to cities, there will be more competition for the finite amount of clean water available. The good news is that many new technologies can help us purify water—so we don’t have to worry about running out of something we need every day. The world’s freshwater supplies are becoming increasingly scarce, and the only way to ensure that we can keep drinking them is by developing new technologies for water purification. Luckily, plenty of companies and researchers are working on ways to make water safe for everyone.
