A method of recovering desalinated activated alumina (AA) beads from a composition including salt laden (high salt absorbed) activated alumna (AA) beads and free anions and free cations, comprising the step of electrodialysis of the composition to reduce salt content of the activated alumina (AA) beads to produce a stream comprising the desalinated activated alumina (AA) beads.

Cation exchange membranes and materials including silica-based ceramics, and associated methods, are provided. In some aspects, cation exchange membranes that include a silica-based ceramic that forms a coating on and/or within a porous support membrane are described. The cation exchange membranes and materials may have certain structural or chemical attributes (e.g., pore size/distribution, chemical functionalization) that, alone or in combination, can result in advantageous performance characteristics in any of a variety of applications for which selective transport of positively charged ions through membranes/materials is desired. In some embodiments, the silica-based ceramic contains relatively small pores (e.g., substantially spherical nanopores) that may contribute to some such advantageous properties. In some embodiments, the cation exchange membrane or material includes sulfonate and/or sulfonic acid groups covalently bound to the silica-based ceramic.

Provided is a biochar-anaerobic membrane biological treatment system and process. The system mainly includes a reaction tank, a membrane module, a macroporous gas distribution device, low-temperature pyrolysis biochar. The application of the process to sewage treatment shows that: under the conditions that the hydraulic retention time is 3.2-7.2 h, the membrane flux is 12.0-17.8 L/m.sup.2/h, and the sludge concentration of 7.2-15.6 g/L, multiple objectives of promoting organic micropollutants (OMPs) biotransformation, accelerating methane production and strengthening membrane fouling control were achieved. The system improved OMPs removal efficiency by more than 20%, decreased membrane fouling rate by 50%, and reaching an organic matter removal efficiency of more than 86% at low temperature. The system and process solve the problems of poor OMPs removal efficiency, serious membrane fouling, and low methane yield at low temperature in the anaerobic membrane biological treatment system.

The present disclosure describes a flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) desalination system and method of use. An FCDI desalination system is described employing one or more FCDI cells equipped with two coaxially oriented membranes mounted within a column housing capped with two end caps, each end cap comprising two carbon slurry ports and one water port. The column is lined with a chargeable sleeve capable of receiving a positive or negative charge. The annular space between the chargeable sleeve and the outside surface of the outer concentric membrane creates a flow path for a first carbon slurry to pass therethrough. The space between the inside surface of the outer concentric membrane and the outer surface of the inner concentric membrane creates a flow path for the saline water to be treated. The space within the inner annular portion of the inner concentric membrane creates a flow path for a second carbon slurry and contains a chargeable rod or wire capable of receiving an opposite charge. The first and second opposed end caps on the column are outfitted to continue these independent flow paths. As the saline water travels through its flow path, its salt ions are removed through the coaxial membranes via the two carbon slurries.