Making wastewater obsolete: Selective separations to enable circular water treatment

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Societal needs by 2050 include climate change mitigation and resource management.
• Water treatment and transport are crucial for resource efficiency.
• Wastewater contains valuable precursors requiring selective separation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the next thirty years of modular, selective, and resource-efficient separations.
• To redefine wastewater as a resource for enabling circular economies.
• To focus on the nitrogen cycle as a case study for selective separations.

Main Methods:

• Focus on the nitrogen cycle, including ammonia and nitrate species.
• Description of selective separation applications.
• Exploration of selective materials and electrochemical processes.

Main Results:

• Selective separations are key to capturing specific compounds from complex solutions.
• Two applications of selective separations are described: selective materials and electrochemical processes.
• These technologies will enable element-specific circular economies.

Conclusions:

• Modular, selective, and resource-efficient separations are essential for future resource management.
• Wastewater can be redefined as a valuable resource through advanced separation techniques.
• The nitrogen cycle serves as a critical example for these innovative approaches.