New energy-efficient desalination system produces fresh water and extracts lithium from seawater without chemical waste

Summary

A new energy-efficient desalination system developed by researchers at the University of Rochester can convert ocean water into fresh drinking water without chemical additives, while simultaneously extracting valuable materials like lithium from the leftover salts. This approach addresses two major challenges: water scarcity and the environmental waste problem of traditional desalination brine disposal. The method uses a solvent extraction process that is more energy-efficient than reverse osmosis and thermal distillation, and turns waste into valuable resources.