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tec5 Equipment SolutionsĪ high-quality UV-Vis spectrometer in the UV range is required for using this methodology in desalination plants, as well as a chemically resistant compatible sample probe, in addition to online data analysis. Sample pre-treatment, such as water softening, could improve the accuracy of measurements, but it is overall a low-cost, viable approach to improving processing at desalination plants.
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Reasonable, though lower, accuracy for the determination of bisulfite concentrations for bisulfite species was shown by this analysis approach. Sulfite concentrations can be determined for seawater samples using the proposed models, with similar achievable accuracy for ultrapure water measurements. Therefore, partial least squares analysis and chemometrics techniques are required to perform accurate measurements on complex systems. The presence of additional dissolved ions with their own intermolecular interactions can affect the absorption spectra of the sulfate species their presence is the challenge for analyzing real seawater samples. UV-Vis spectroscopy a suitable technique for monitoring reducing agent concentrations as both of these species have absorption features in the 190-300 nm wavelength region. The two main sulfur species to be considered are HSO 3 - and SO 3 2- for saline water within a pH range of 4.5-10. It can be a powerful tool for monitoring even complex reaction mixtures when combined with spectral modeling like chemometrics. It can be used for online analysis and is a non-destructive measurement technique. Wastewater monitoring and management is one common use for UV-Vis spectroscopy. Doing this means water safety is not compromised and there is no risk of damaging the delicate membranes while reducing the amount of further clean-up needed and saving unnecessary chemical waste. This makes it possible to monitor the chlorine reduction process only to add the required amount of reducing agent. It is now possible to determine both the bisulfate and sulfite concentrations from the reducing agent in real-time with a recent development in process monitoring technologies that combine chemometric analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Exact dosing can be challenging because the chlorine reduction process and the required amount of reducing agent are both susceptible to the process parameters. Risk to the membrane from the remaining chlorine is minimized by adding the reducing agents in excess. However, any residual-free chlorine ions are hazardous to the membrane, and reduction agents such as sodium metabisulfite (Na 2S 2O 5) are used by many large-scale desalination plants to neutralize remaining chlorine species. The water is pre-treated with chlorine compounds like hypochlorous acid to help protect the costly membranes from biofouling and optimize energy efficiency. However, it still remains an energy-intensive process and, in terms of the membranes required, can be prohibitively expensive. Reverse osmosis is one typical desalination procedure to reduce TDS levels. This is where a partially permeable membrane separates freshwater from ions and other unwanted species.Ĭompared to thermally processing water, reverse osmosis is energetically favorable. The water is considered saline when this concentration exceeds 10,000 mgL -1 and, at around 35,000 mgL -1, this concentration is greater than that of even seawater and the water is classed as brine. Generally, freshwater is defined as having less than 1000 mgL -1 total concentration of dissolved solids (TDS). As regions such as California face increasing challenges with depletion of freshwater and drought alongside rising total water consumption, this demand will continue to grow. Desalination processes for the production of freshwater are of the utmost importance for many nations.
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