Newswise — The utilization of electrochemistry for separating different particles within a solution, also known as electrochemical separation, represents an energy-efficient approach for environmental and water remediation, aiming to purify contaminated water. Despite its energy efficiency compared to similar methods, electrochemistry often relies on electric energy predominantly sourced from nonrenewable resources, such as fossil fuels.
Addressing this challenge, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have made significant progress by showcasing that water remediation can be partially or even entirely powered by renewable energy sources. Their innovative method involves integrating solar energy into the electrochemical separation process through a semiconductor. By harnessing solar power, their approach facilitates a redox reaction that manipulates ions' electric charge, effectively separating them from the solution, such as water. This advancement holds the promise of significantly reducing the environmental impact of water purification processes and promoting sustainable solutions for a cleaner future.
The researchers successfully employed this system to effectively separate and eliminate dilute arsenate, a derivative of arsenic, from wastewater. Arsenate is a significant waste component originating from steel and mining industries.
This achievement serves as a proof-of-concept, demonstrating the feasibility and suitability of such systems for wastewater treatment and environmental protection.
Lead investigator, Xiao Su, a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, emphasized the prevailing reliance on nonrenewable, fossil-fuel-based sources for global electrical energy. This raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of electrochemical processes, including separations. By integrating solar power, the sustainability of electrochemical separations, in general, is advanced, and its application to water purification offers substantial benefits to the water sector as well.
This work appears in the journal Small at https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202305275.
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