A novel technology has been published in Nature Water, created by engineers from Rice University and the University of Michigan. By trapping it inside pores filled with structures that contain oxygen, the method seeks to eliminate boron, a naturally occurring and hazardous element of saltwater, from drinking water. Boron, a micronutrient essential for plant development, is found in aquatic environments through various activities such as mineral extraction, coal burning, and boron fertilizer and pesticide use. Excessive concentrations in irrigation water can cause plant poisoning.
Human activity has led to rising boron concentrations in surface and ground waters, posing a significant threat to public health. Water quality regulations are more stringent as a result of the growing need for boron in manufacturing industries. Numerous studies have confirmed that boron has detrimental effects on human organs, the digestive system, the immunological system, blood components, and growth. The European Union first acknowledged boron hazards in 1993. The treatment of water contaminated with boron has therefore garnered a lot of attention in recent decades.
Seawater has five to twelve times more boron than many agricultural plants can withstand, and twice as much as the World Health Organization’s permissive limits for safe drinking water. Desalination plants usually have to perform post-treatment to get rid of boron because most reverse osmosis membranes don’t remove much of it, which can be costly. In addition to improving environmental sustainability and lowering expenses by up to 15%, the new method is scalable and energy-efficient, lowering the chemical and energy requirements of seawater desalination. The novel membranes can reduce the growing water shortage and make seawater a more accessible supply of drinking water, potentially saving some $6.9 billion a year.
According to the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, freshwater supplies should supply 40% of demand by 2030, which could increase the availability of seawater for drinking. Additionally, the method enables treatment facilities to produce neutral, boron-free water without expending additional energy on a subsequent stage of reverse osmosis. The research provides an adaptable framework that capitalizes on pH fluctuations that could reposition additional contaminants, such as arsenic, into easily eliminated forms.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250121130053.htm
