Electrodialysis

10/17/25

“How can we use electric potential to desalinate water?”

Saltwater is much more common than freshwater in the world. Consequently, we could greatly increase our water supplies by converting saltwater to freshwater. But traditional reverse osmosis techniques are incredibly energy-intensive. Is there an easier way to desalinate water? Well, we know that salts have an electrostatic charge. So what if we were to place the water stream between a cathode and an anode and insert an alternating series of membranes that only allow cations or anions to pass? Well, this will create streams of purified water, separated from saltwater. This process, called Electrodialysis, is a smart way to desalinate water and make it useful for people. 

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