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Advanced Technology for Desalination and Water Purification, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2025 | Viewed by 3089

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Food Science, University of West Attica, Egaleo, Greece
Interests: quantum optics; desalination; water purification; fluid mechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The climate change that has been widely observed in recent years has brought about a shortage of drinking water in many parts of the world. This phenomenon is very pronounced in Mediterranean countries, which, in the coming decades, will even be faced with desertification, according to experts. A solution for the water supply and irrigation of these areas is desalination, that is, the purification of seawater and brackish water through the removal of sodium and chlorine ions.

At the same time, due to industrial pollution, there is increasing pollution of groundwater, surface water and wastewater with the heavy metal ions used by different industries.

It is therefore vital for the continuation of life on Earth that we develop methods of removing ions from aqueous solutions. In recent decades, methods have been developed that provide solutions to this problem, but at a remarkable cost.

In the first edition of this Special Issue, publications were presented that proposed alternative, innovative, low-cost methods for ion removal from seawater, industrial wastewater, surface water and groundwater; although not necessarily large-scale solutions, these may be useful to small groups or individuals creating clean water.
The above subject is still not only a current issue but becoming more and more popular, which has prompted us to establish the second edition of this Special Issue. We invite articles related to this topic contributing to this Special Issue.

Dr. Vasileios Bartzis
Prof. Dr. Ioannis Sarris
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • electric field
  • ion drift
  • desalination
  • water purification
  • heavy metals
  • low-cost purification
  • ecosystem services
  • water quality
  • solar distiller

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 7293 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Water Production: Solar Energy Integration in Multi-Effect Desalination Plants
by Ali K. Muftah, Leila Zili-Ghedira, Mabruk M. Abugderah, Walid Hassen, Nidhal Becheikh, Badr M. Alshammari and Lioua Kolsi
Water 2025, 17(5), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17050647 - 23 Feb 2025
Viewed by 876
Abstract
This study addresses the increasing demand for sustainable water production by investigating the integration of solar energy into a multi-effect desalination (MED) plant located in Zuara, Libya. It is acknowledged that regions with high water demand frequently experience elevated levels of solar radiation; [...] Read more.
This study addresses the increasing demand for sustainable water production by investigating the integration of solar energy into a multi-effect desalination (MED) plant located in Zuara, Libya. It is acknowledged that regions with high water demand frequently experience elevated levels of solar radiation; thus, this approach seeks to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate harmful emissions. Three operational modes were analyzed and compared: (1) daytime-only solar operation, (2) hybrid solar–boiler operation, and (3) solar operation with thermal energy storage. A validated mathematical model, informed by real empirical data, was used to assess energy and exergy efficiencies as well as production costs per cubic meter of desalinated water. The results indicate a trade-off between cost-effectiveness and environmental impact. The fossil fuel-based mode demonstrated the highest energy efficiency but also produced the greatest pollution. Conversely, the solar-only daytime mode, while free of emissions, was the costliest (USD 1.4/m3) due to its limited operational hours. The hybrid mode offered a compromise, presenting lower costs (USD 0.79/m3) and moderate land use, yet it still relied on fossil fuels. The thermal storage mode facilitated continuous, clean desalination at a higher cost (USD 0.97/m3) and required the largest solar field area. This study demonstrates the potential of solar-powered MED plants for sustainable water production, particularly in regions characterized by abundant sunlight and water scarcity. Furthermore, this research provides a comprehensive framework for selecting the optimal operational mode based on specific priorities, such as minimizing environmental impact, reducing costs, or maximizing operational flexibility. Full article
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18 pages, 2856 KiB  
Article
The Impacts of Different Salinities on the CW-MFC System for Treating Concentrated Brine
by Li Wang, Xuwei Han, Yu Zhang, Lin Wang and Jin Wang
Water 2025, 17(2), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17020247 - 16 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 774
Abstract
This paper aims to comprehensively explore the performance and influencing factors of the constructed wetland–microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) system when treating brine with different concentrations. The main objective is to determine how different salinity levels affect the operation and treatment efficiency of the [...] Read more.
This paper aims to comprehensively explore the performance and influencing factors of the constructed wetland–microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) system when treating brine with different concentrations. The main objective is to determine how different salinity levels affect the operation and treatment efficiency of the CW-MFC system. The research results show that Bruguiera gymnorrhiza exhibits strong salt tolerance and can be used as a wetland plant for the CW-MFC system. The closed-circuit CW-MFC system with planted plants has the best performance, with a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 84.8%, a total nitrogen (TN) removal rate of 68.12%, and a chloride ion (Cl) removal rate of 29.96%. The maximum power density is 64.79% higher than that of the system without planted plants. The power generation performance of the system first increases and then decreases with the increase in salinity, while the internal resistance keeps decreasing. When the salinity is 2%, the power generation effect is the best, with an average output voltage of 617.3 ± 25.7 mV and a power density of 45.83 mW/m2. The removal rates of COD and TN are inhibited with the increase in salinity, while the removal rate of total phosphorus (TP) is not significantly affected. The microbial community grows well under salt stress, but its structure is different. When the salinity is 1%, the optimal distance between electrodes is 10 cm. Considering the pollutant removal performance, the optimal hydraulic retention time is 3 days, and considering the power generation performance, the optimal hydraulic retention time is 2 days. This research provides important value for improving the performance of the CW-MFC system in treating brine. Full article
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22 pages, 5600 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Impact of Steric Effects on Ion Removal of Water Solutions under the Influence of an Electric Field
by Vasileios Bartzis, Nikolaos Merlemis, Georgios Ninos and Ioannis E. Sarris
Water 2024, 16(14), 1983; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16141983 - 12 Jul 2024
Viewed by 934
Abstract
In this study, we examine the movement of ions that are in a water solution which flows along a duct, due to the existence of an electric field, taking into account the size of the ions, a phenomenon known as the steric effect. [...] Read more.
In this study, we examine the movement of ions that are in a water solution which flows along a duct, due to the existence of an electric field, taking into account the size of the ions, a phenomenon known as the steric effect. We compare the results from the above model with the classical one (the one that uses the Boltzmann distribution where ions are considered dimensionless) for various parameters such as surface charge density, electric field and differential capacitance. It is shown that for dilute water solutions (1019–1024 ions/m3 final concentration at the center of the duct), with ions of valence z=1 (let us say saline water), steric effects become important for potentials greater than 1 V, and the phenomenon is more pronounced at higher concentrations. Furthermore, the steric effect model is applied to the calculation of the percentage of reduction in ion concentration in the main volume of the solution as a function of duct width for various electrode potentials and initial ion concentrations. Removal times are also calculated using Modified PNP equations which take into account steric effects. It is found that with a potential of 2.6 V, a 96% reduction in ions is achieved in the main volume of the solution for duct width 0.1 mm for 1021 ions/m3 final concentration at the center of the duct within approximately 1.6 s, while the percentage drops to 80% for duct width 1 mm. For smaller potentials, no noticeable decrease in concentration is observed, while for higher potentials, there are more impressive results, but we must be very careful because there is the case of other electrochemical phenomena taking place. The results are better when reducing the width of the duct, but relatively large widths are considered for the method to be practically applicable. With the increase in the concentration of the ions, their reduction percentage in the main volume of the solution decreases but remains significant up to 1023 ions/m3 final concentration at the center of the duct. In addition, the completion time is shown to be proportional to the duct width. Therefore, for example, with the other parameters the same (2.6 V, 1021 ions/m3) but with L~1 mm, the completion time can be estimated to be approximately 16 s. This observation enables us to estimate the completion time for different duct widths, eliminating the need for repeated numerical computation of the MPNP equations. Full article
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