Scientists are developing promising technologies that can extract valuable materials from sewage and toxic manufacturing wastewater that could someday be used to power airplanes, smartphones, and more.
Mining for treasure in toxic wastewater
What to do with toxic wastewater left over after chemical manufacturing has long been a problem. Even trying to convert sewage and industrial wastewater into drinkable water produces other chemical compound waste that can be toxic and corrosive, not to mention malodorous.
But a new Stanford University study published in the journal ACS ES&T Engineering reveals promising new technologies that are mining wastewater to extract valuable materials that seep into water from fertilizers and batteries that could one day be used to power airplanes and smartphones.
Further, Science Daily reported that technology is being developed to optimize electrical processes that transform sulfur pollution into affordable, renewable energy-powered wastewater treatment that creates drinkable water.
Around the world, but particularly in arid regions, the need to develop technologies that convert wastewater into drinkable water is tantamount as freshwater supplies dwindle.
Focus on converting wastewater without chemical byproducts
Current technologies for filtering wastewater into drinkable water have the downside of producing the byproduct sulfide, which is toxic, corrosive, and malodorous.
The new solution looks to convert sulfide into chemicals used in fertilizer and cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries.
With an eye toward the future, the sulfur recovery technology the researchers are developing could also be combined with other techniques, like recovery nitrogen from wastewater to produce ammonium sulfate fertilizer.
“Hopefully, this study will help accelerate the adoption of technology that mitigates pollution, recovers valuable resources, and creates potable water all at the same time,” said Xiaohan Shao, the lead author of the study a civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. student at Stanford.
