Abstract | The Earth contains more than 71% water, but only 3% is considered freshwater, suitable for drinking or crop irrigation. The majority, about 97%, consists of seawater, which is not easily usable for human consumption. The scarcity of freshwater has become a critical issue due to factors such as population growth, depletion of water resources and the impact of climate change. It is estimated that approximately 2 billion individuals worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water and this shortage is projected to impact 70% of the global population by 2050. Desalination offers a solution to augment freshwater supplies. However, conventional methods like reverse osmosis are energy-intensive, and produce concentrated brine posing environmental pollution. Microbial Desalination Cells (MDCs) emerge as a promising, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative. MDCs integrate microbial fuel cell (MFC) and electrodialysis technologies using exoelectrogens to oxidise organic matter in wastewater, generating electricity while desalinating water without emitting greenhouse gases. However, MDC performance is hindered by membrane biofouling, limiting desalination efficiency. We are investigating the potential of novel 3D-printed biofilms, consisting of electroactive bacteria immobilised within various hydrogel matrices to address membrane biofouling and improve desalination rates in MDCs. Our experiment involves designing and printing of 3D biofilms using different hydrogels with compositions of alginate, graphene oxide particles, gelatin methacrylate, and calcium alginate using Shewanella oneidensis. Through immobilisation of electroactive bacteria, these engineered biofilms could offer enhanced stability and spatial control over bacterial interactions to potentially mitigate biofouling tendencies on the ion-exchange membranes and optimise biofilm performance to improve desalination performance in MDCs. This research aims to offer insights for optimising MDC performance by addressing membrane biofouling and enhancing desalination efficiency. The project is focused on contributing to provision of affordable and sustainable water in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. |
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