New membrane purifies water with less energy

Researchers from IBM, Central Glass, the University of Texas, Austin and King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) have developed a new type of membrane that can purify water more effectively and energy-efficiently.

Unveiled today, the membrane helps filter out salts, arsenic and other toxins while using less energy than other water-purification processes.

“As clean water becomes more scarce and disease from impure water impacts more of the world’s population, the race to find efficient methods to purify this important resource is at a critical juncture,” said Bob Allen, manager of the water purification project at the IBM Almaden Research Center. “The kind of research we’re doing, and the promising results we’re seeing, stand to create a whole new paradigm for how we manage natural resources such as water.”

One in five people around the world lack access to safe drinking water, and arsenic contamination has been a growing concern since the 1990s. Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause lung, bladder and skin cancer.

“Access to fresh drinking water is more than a regional challenge; it’s a global challenge,” said Turki AlSaud, vice president for research institutes at KACST. “Currently, Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of desalinated water in the world, and the kingdom continues to invest in research and development to make access to fresh water more affordable.  Our collaborative research with IBM is providing innovative technological solutions and paving the way toward cost effective technologies in the field of membranes for water desalination that will help meet the increasing global demand of fresh, clean water.”