Nanostructured and Reactive Membranes; A Potential Alternative for Brackish Water Desalination Challenges

Advances in nanoscale engineering suggest that many of the current problems involving water quality couldbe resolved or greatly ameliorated using nanosorbents, nanocatalysts, bioactive nanoparticles, nanostructuredcatalytic membranes and nanoparticle enhanced filtration among other products and processes resulting from thedevelopment of nanotechnology. Innovations in the development of novel technologies to desalinate water areamong the most exciting and promising. Additionally, nanotechnology-derived products that reduce theconcentrations of toxic compounds to sub-ppb levels can assist in the attainment of water quality standards andhealth advisories. This article gives a study on the use of nanomaterials in water purification and highlightsrecent advances on the development of novel nanoscale materials and processes for treatment of surface water,groundwater and industrial wastewater contaminated by toxic metal ions, radionuclides, organic and inorganicsolutes, bacteria and viruses. Nanomaterials become critical components of industrial and public waterpurification systems. The development of smart membranes with biofilmresistant surfaces that can automaticallyadjust membrane performance is a key long-term goal of the Desalination and Water Purification. Thecontrolled release of these nanoparticles into surface waters exposed to sunlight could significantly reduceorganic carbon load through oxidative photochemical degradation. Also nanomaterials will help solvechallenging water purification problems including: (1) the desalination of brackish water (2) the recovery ofvaluable and toxic metal ions from membrane concentrates thereby facilitating brine disposal (3) thedevelopment of chlorine-free biocides and (4) the purification of water contaminated by toxic contaminants suchas perchlorate, chiral compounds, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds

Nanostructured and Reactive Membranes; A Potential Alternative for Brackish Water Desalination Challenges Keywords:

Nanomaterials , Membrane , Purification , Brackish Water