High-throughput Microfluidic Desalination via Electrodialysis

Almost 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water; however, this water is saline beyond use for drinking. Natural freshwater sources are depleting at a fast pace and we already face extreme water shortage in some parts of the earth. As water shortage is a huge problem, threatening the future of human life, producing potable water from brackish or seawater proves to be a vital field of research and technology. Many macro and micro scale systems and technologies are being developed to produce the ever-growing need for water desalination. In the present study, a micro scale method namely Electrodialysis, has been considered (ED), to desalinate seawater with the NaCl concentration of 500 mol/m3, and the number of cells, required for daily needs of a human being was studied. A final concentration of 6.2 mol/m3 is reported, using the proposed desalination process. This study proves that with the use of only 26 ED, one human being can be supplied with fresh water every day.

Keywords:

electrodialysis , microfluidics , desalination.