Using microbes and wastewater to desalinate water

摘要

Unlikely as it may seem, microbes and wastewater are key components of a new technology capable of desalinating water without any additional energy. In a paper recently published in ES&T (2009, DOI 10.1021/es901950j), a team of researchers explains how this newrntechnology can remove the salts from waters with a wide range of salinities, including ocean water.rnThe technology is based on microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use microorganisms as catalysts to convert chemical energy to electrical energy.