The present invention provides an organic bioelectronic HD device system for the effective removal of protein-bound substances, comprising PEDOT:PSS, a multiwall carbon nanotube, polyethylene oxide (PEO), and (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GOPS). The composite nanofiber platform exhibited (i) long-term water-resistance; (ii) high adhesion strength on the PES membrane; (iii) enhanced electrical properties; and (iv) good anticoagulant ability and negligible hemolysis of red blood cells, suggesting great suitability for use in developing next-generation bioelectronic medicines for HD.

An apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide has a membrane separator with a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a channel that extends between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, and pores configured to permit carbon dioxide to pass therethrough, the gas inlet being connected to receive a mixed gas that contains carbon dioxide, wherein carbon dioxide in the mixed gas exits the membrane via the pores, and a remainder of the mixed gas exits the membrane separator via the gas outlet. The pores may be functionalized with nano-particles. A container is filled with an aqueous solution includes a carbon capturing agent and the membrane separator is submerged within the aqueous solution. The carbon capturing agent may be produced by a membrane reactor upstream of the membrane separator. Carbon dioxide exiting the membrane separator via the functional pores reacts with the carbon capturing agent to produce a carbon negative compound.

A system includes an ion exchange softener fluidly coupled to a wastewater treatment system. The first ion exchange softener may receive a first brine stream from the wastewater treatment system and to remove a plurality of minerals from the first brine stream to generate a second brine stream including the plurality of minerals and a third brine stream. The system also includes a mineral removal system disposed downstream from the ion exchange softener and that may receive the second brine stream and to generate a sodium chloride (NaCl) brine stream and an acid and caustic production system disposed downstream from and fluidly coupled to the mineral removal system. The acid and caustic production system includes a first electrodialysis (ED) system that may receive the NaCl brine stream from the mineral removal system and to generate hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) from the NaCl brine stream. The system also includes a second ED system disposed downstream from the ion exchange softener and upstream of the acid and caustic production system. The second ED system is fluidly coupled to the ion exchange softener and to the acid and caustic production system, and the second ED may generate desalinated water from the third brine stream and an ED concentrate stream. The second ED system may direct the ED concentrate stream to the acid and caustic production system.

A device and method are described for the treatment of blood, which device may be used in conjunction with or in place of a failed Kidney. The device includes an ultrafiltration unit to remove proteins, red and white blood cells and other high molecular weight components, a nanofiltration unit to remove glucose, at least one electrodeionization unit to transport ions from the blood stream, and a reverse osmosis unit to modulate the flow of water, to both the blood and urine streams. In one embodiment, a specialized electrodeionization unit is provided having multiple chambers defining multiple dilute fluid channels, each channel filled with an ion specific resin wafer, and electrodes at the extremity of the device and proximate each of the resin filled dilute channels. By selective application of voltages to these electrodes, the ion transport functionality of a given dilute channel can be turned on or off.

An electrochlorination system includes an electrolyzer fluidically connectable between a source of feed fluid and a product fluid outlet, and a sub-system configured to one of increase a pH of the feed fluid, or increase a ratio of monovalent to divalent ions in the feed fluid, upstream of the electrolyzer.

The present invention provides an organic bioelectronic HD device system for the effective removal of protein-bound substances, comprising PEDOT:PSS, a multiwall carbon nanotube, polyethylene oxide (PEO), and (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GOPS). The composite nanofiber platform exhibited (i) long-term water-resistance; (ii) high adhesion strength on the PES membrane; (iii) enhanced electrical properties; and (iv) good anticoagulant ability and negligible hemolysis of red blood cells, suggesting great suitability for use in developing next-generation bioelectronic medicines for HD.

There are provided processes comprising submitting an aqueous composition comprising lithium sulphate and/or bisulfate to an electrolysis or an electrodialysis for converting at least a portion of said sulphate into lithium hydroxide. During electrolysis or electrodialysis, the aqueous composition is at least substantially maintained at a pH having a value of about 1 to about 4; and converting said lithium hydroxide into lithium carbonate. Alternatively, lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate can be submitted to a first electromembrane process that comprises a two-compartment membrane process for conversion of lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate to lithium hydroxide, and obtaining a first lithium-reduced aqueous stream and a first lithium hydroxide-enriched aqueous stream; and submitting said first lithium-reduced aqueous stream to a second electromembrane process comprising a three-compartment membrane process to prepare at least a further portion of lithium hydroxide and obtaining a second lithium-reduced aqueous stream and a second lithium-hydroxide enriched aqueous stream.

A process for treating sour water includes combining the sour water with an alkali or alkaline metal hydroxide to produce a sour water mixture, the sour water comprising sulfides, passing an electric current through the sour water mixture, where passing the electric current through the sour water mixture causes at least a portion of the sulfides to react to produce a treated sour water comprising sulfates and having a pH of 7.1 to 9.8, saturating the at least a portion of the sulfates in an aqueous sulfate solution, and separating at least a portion of saturated sulfates from a saturated aqueous sulfate solution.

An electrochemical membrane module for selectively removing pollutants and a preparation method thereof are provided. A Ti/SnO.sub.2Sb substrate electrode is coated with a MI-TiO.sub.2 sol-gel by means of a dip-coating method, and then sintered to obtain a molecular imprinting type Ti/MI-TiO.sub.2/SnO.sub.2Sb coated electrode; the coated electrode is adhered to a ceramic micro-filtration membrane using epoxy resin glue to obtain a Ti/MI-TiO.sub.2/SnO.sub.2Sb MI-anodic conductive composite membrane; the MI-anodic conductive composite membrane is used as an anode, and a titanium mesh is used as a cathode, so that the electrochemical membrane module capable of selectively removing pollutants is obtained. The invention effectively combines an electrochemical micro-filtration membrane and a molecular imprinting technique. When the electrochemical membrane module is used, suspended particles and refractory organics in the sewage are removed, and a highly selective removal of certain refractory pollutants can be achieved.

This publication relates to a method and a system for producing freshwater through a reverse osmosis process in a submerged membrane system requiring a differential pressure over the membrane system. The differential pressure is provided by introducing gas bubbles in the riser device (2) downstream the outlet (7) for fresh water in the riser device (2). The system comprises at least one submerged, reverse osmosis unit (1), with an inlet (4) for water and an outlet (7) for fresh water, a riser device (2) extending from the outlet (7) of the submerged membrane system to at, above or below sea level and a system for providing a low pressure side for the reverse osmosis process.