I am not a big fan of rain! never have been- After having lived in Florida for 100 of years moving to NYC was almost a relief form dry and rainy weather!- but not quiet!
On my morning (well almost afternoon today) commute to work, I started thinking about rain and its effects on our surroundings and ultimately all this talk about water shortage in the upcoming years. Statements such as “Improving access to clean water and sanitation are crucial in enabling Asia to achieve sustainable economic prosperity and effectively eradicate poverty” (Asian Development Bank). To think that water can ultimately lead to economic prosperity and elevation of poverty is trivial in a sense since there is so much water around us! yet Asia faces the biggest challenge in the world in the access to drinking water.
A carbon-nanotube membrane (quarter shown for scale). The nanotubes are located at the center of each square. Despite their tiny size, they can filter water more efficiently than current larger membranes. (Credit: Science)
After reaching my office I started researching about all the water we are surrounded by, lets say the seven oceans! Its interesting that we can pioneer the technology of enriching uranium to create a bomb but not have the will of purifying ocean water !
I came across an interesting read on Carbon nanotube-based membranes which can dramatically cut the cost of desalination. In other words make ocean water drinkable- the technology could potentially provide a solution to water shortages.
Moreover, The membranes, which sort molecules by size and with electrostatic forces, could also separate various gases, perhaps leading to economical ways to capture carbon dioxide emitted from power plants, to prevent it from entering the atmosphere (how cool will that be!)
Now a bit of scientific Jargon
“….The carbon nanotubes used by the researchers are sheets of carbon atoms rolled so tightly that only seven water molecules can fit across their diameter. Their small size makes them good candidates for separating molecules. And, despite their diminutive dimensions, these nanopores allow water to flow at the same rate as pores considerably larger, reducing the amount of pressure needed to force water through, and potentially saving energy and costs compared to reverse osmosis using conventional membranes….”
There are estimates that these membranes could be brought to market within the next five to ten years. “The challenge is to scale up so we can produce usable amounts of these membrane materials for desalination, or gas separation, the other high-impact application for these membranes, the fabrication process is “inherently scalable.”
So we’ll have to wait another five to ten years to see if this even works! my patience frankly is running out- In coming years a country’s might will not be judged by its nuclear capability or defense system but by consumption and delivery 0f its natural fuels- water being its most important one-
For now I’ll sit back with my chai and watch the rain pour down and think some more~
Ref:http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/16977/page1/
