Bugs boost clean-up
Dec 17, 2014
Resins improve bacterial performance in converting seawater to potable supply.
Results for environmental science and engineering
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KAUST takes on an expert worth his salt
Mar 16, 2015
A leader in desalination science, TorOve Leiknes gives water treatment research in Saudi Arabia a major boost.
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Using nature’s tricks to harvest atmospheric water
Apr 18, 2015
An inkjet-printed surface can turn fog into drinking water using bio-inspired micropatterning and adhesion technology.
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Resistance requires a rethink of reused water
Jul 13, 2015
Treated wastewater may be suitable for some irrigation uses, but antibiotic-resistant microbes could be cause for concern.
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Assessing seawater safety
Aug 15, 2015
Elevated bacterial populations in waters near beaches and urban areas could pose a problem for desalination plants.
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Bacterial power to reduce toxicity of water supply
Aug 22, 2015
Wastewater treatments based on bioelectrochemical systems can generate energy while removing potentially toxic compounds.
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Sensing for sustainable agriculture
Aug 22, 2015
Novel use of sensors and associated high-resolution imaging in agriculture aims to facilitate a more sustainable future.
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A solar heater inspired by the lotus flower
Aug 29, 2015
Chemical tricks improve the efficiency and durability of photothermal membranes that use sunlight to turn water into steam.
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Graphene powers up water purification
Apr 30, 2016
Self-cleaning graphene-coated membranes remove water pollutants while harvesting energy from microbial decomposition.
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Partnering for sustainable fresh water production
Jun 6, 2016
Combining methods for water desalination results in low-cost, highly efficient water production.
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Copolymer membranes toughened up
Jun 11, 2016
Innovative chemistry has produced synthetic membranes with improved properties for industry, research and biomedicine.
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Saving precious water with nanoscale ingenuity
Jun 18, 2016
Biology has inspired new ways to harvest and collect water.
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Against the flow of drug resistance
Oct 1, 2016
Certain bacteria-based water treatment systems may help prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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A blossoming field of precision agriculture
Nov 5, 2016
KAUST researchers are working to find new ways of monitoring irrigation, crop health and yields.
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Extracting more from wastewater
Jan 21, 2017
A material made by combining a metal and a polymer can help generate hydrogen and fresh water from wastewater.
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Tracking superbugs for antibiotic resistance
Feb 11, 2017
An antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria found circulating in Jeddah’s municipal wastewater could have severe implications for public health.
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Using sunlight to the max
Jun 17, 2017
A floating membrane that uses sunlight to evaporate water shows potential for water purification.
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Nature provides a key to repelling liquids
Jul 29, 2017
A nature-based technique paves the way for cheaper and environmentally friendly liquid-repellent materials.
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Vapor harvesting gets the edge
Aug 13, 2017
Surface wettability has little effect on atmospheric water gathering, but edge structure is crucial.
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The sky’s the limit for Earth observation
Sep 17, 2017
Emerging technologies are poised to transform how we observe the Earth.
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Briny pool bacteria can clean up and power up
Nov 5, 2017
Promising electrochemical technologies for cleaning wastewater are boosted by discovery of extremophilic microbes in the Red Sea.
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Sunny solution for killing E. coli
Nov 12, 2017
Treating wastewater with solar irradiation shows promise in reducing two E. coli strains but a resilient strain persists.
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The universal truth about sticky surfaces
Dec 17, 2017
Trapping molecules on custom-designed porous surfaces becomes easier with a new model that unifies previous theories of adsorption.
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A green separation for industry
Dec 17, 2017
Tailor-made membranes offer a cleaner method for the industrial-scale separation of chemical mixtures, says Suzana Nunes. But first we need to make their manufacture greener.
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Wiser ways with water
Feb 11, 2018
Safety assurance is the first step in bringing valuable wastewater into use, says Peiying Hong.
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New eyes in the skies
Mar 18, 2018
The availability of high-resolution data collected by miniaturized satellites heralds a turning point in Earth and environmental sensing from space.
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Grime does pay when it comes to wastewater filters
Mar 25, 2018
A grimy layer on wastewater filters could slow the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Mimicking a sweet solution to mop up pollution
May 11, 2018
A fast and safe method to prepare a 3D porous material that mimics the shape of a honeycomb could have broad applications from catalysis to drug delivery or for filtering air to remove pollutants or viruses.
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Solar energy tapped for clean water
Jun 3, 2018
A 3D solar-steam generator design squeezes every last drop of energy from sunlight to produce fresh water.
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Sustainability hinges on water and energy use
Jun 24, 2018
A plant scientist, a water specialist and a petroleum engineer walk onto a panel, “how do you define sustainability?” one asks.
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Lighting the way to harvest water from air
Jul 22, 2018
A low-cost method for collecting water from the atmosphere could be used to provide potable water to dry, inland regions.
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Bio-inspired materials decrease drag for liquids
Sep 6, 2018
Tiny nature-inspired cavities that trap air can stop liquids from sticking to surfaces without the need for coatings.
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Reusing water to grow quality food in cities
Sep 9, 2018
Research to optimize aquaponics systems could inform a new era of urban food production.
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Surface science concepts are up for revision
Nov 19, 2018
Immersion could become the ultimate test for assessing the wetting properties of coating-free microtextured surfaces.
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Drinking water sucked from the dusty desert air
Nov 25, 2018
An inexpensive hydrogel-based material efficiently captures moisture even from low-humidity air and then releases it on demand.
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Carbon emissions smoked
Dec 9, 2018
Helpful microbes inhale CO2 through a porous cylindrical electrode and exude useful chemicals.
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Combining forces to combat E. coli PI-7
Jan 7, 2019
A combined treatment may help tackle the rise of E. coli PI-7 in Saudi Arabia’s wastewater systems.
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Probing water's skin
Feb 27, 2019
Electrosprays of water cannot reliably probe the air-water interface.
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Cleaning up with cellulose
Mar 10, 2019
Environmentally friendly method for making membranes adds greener options for processing industrial waste.
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A drone on crop resources
Mar 17, 2019
Aerial imaging of plant heights could help farmers manage field crops more effectively to increase yields and preserve resources.
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Solar-powered cup brews better brine treatments
Apr 7, 2019
Unique membrane design prevents salt crusts from being produced during the distillation of brine water.
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A leap forward in estimating crop water use
May 1, 2019
High-resolution imaging data collected by small satellites could transform how we monitor freshwater use in agriculture.
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Colorful solution to a chemical industry bottleneck
May 7, 2019
A graphene-oxide membrane design inspired by nature swiftly separates solvent molecules.
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Casting a net for a sustainable water network
Jun 11, 2019
Global water challenges addressed through improvements to desalination techniques and limits to waste.
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Insects inspire greener, cheaper membranes for desalination
Jun 28, 2019
Insect-inspired design principles lead to first-ever water-repellent membranes made from water-wet materials.
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Bionic catalysts to produce clean energy
Jul 1, 2019
A biohybrid material that combines reduced graphene oxide with bacterial cells offers an eco-friendly option to help store renewable energy.
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Solar power with a free side of drinking water
Jul 10, 2019
An integrated system seamlessly harnesses sunlight to cogenerate electricity and fresh water.
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Fair compare of desalination puts heat on energy sources
Aug 27, 2019
Accounting for the quality of energy needed to run a desalination plant shows benefits of using waste heat.
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The movers and shakers of wastewater treatment
Sep 9, 2019
The dynamics behind microbial communities in granular-based wastewater treatment systems.
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Waste plastic converted into filtration membranes
Oct 21, 2019
Discarded PET bottles could find a new life in the chemical industry.
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Chlorine could increase antimicrobial resistance
Jan 8, 2020
Ultraviolet light could thwart antimicrobial resistance by damaging DNA material in wastewater.
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Flushing nitrogen from seawater-based toilets
Feb 3, 2020
With about half the world’s population living close to the coast, using seawater to flush toilets could be possible with a salt-tolerant bacterium.
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Bursting bubbles clear the way for desalination
Feb 16, 2020
Carbon dioxide bubbles could be a fast and environmentally friendly way to unclog seawater filters and keep the supply of drinking water flowing.
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Moisture-sucking gels give solar panels the chills
May 11, 2020
Polymers that absorb water from the atmosphere can make it easier to run photovoltaic devices in hot climates.
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Sea skaters are a super source of inspiration
May 15, 2020
A study of marine Halobates species highlights how their waterproofing techniques, size and acceleration capability helped them colonize the ocean.
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Anammox bacteria generate energy from wastewater while taking a breath
Jun 28, 2020
More energy-efficient wastewater treatment may be possible by harnessing anammox bacteria’s surprising ability to "breathe" solid-state matter.
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New spin brings rapid rescue from oil spills
Jul 23, 2020
High-capacity oil-adsorbing mats could be deployed in oil spill emergencies to limit ecological damage.
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Diagnosing individual trees from above
Jul 26, 2020
Models based on images from unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites can help farmers to monitor the health of individual trees.
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A light touch for membrane selectivity
Aug 21, 2020
Light-responsive building blocks provide organic membranes with light-controlled permeability and selectivity.
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Lighting the path to recycling carbon dioxide
Oct 5, 2020
Combining solar-harvesting materials with carbon-dioxide–consuming microbes could be an efficient way to generate clean fuels.
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Sludge-powered bacteria generate more electricity, faster
Oct 18, 2020
A new electroactive bacterium could help fuel wastewater treatment reactors.
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Probing water for an electrifying cause
Oct 28, 2020
An experiment, elegant in its simplicity, helps explain why water becomes electrified when it touches hydrophobic surfaces.
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Peel-off coating keeps desalination cleaner and greener
Nov 16, 2020
A polyelectrolyte coating enables clean seawater desalination systems without harmful chemicals.
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Molecular pores for thought
Dec 6, 2020
Ultrathin porous films that can pluck out specific nanoscopic molecules could refine oil purification and drug development.
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Wastewater monitoring in COVID-19 surveillance
Dec 17, 2020
Microbiologist Peiying Hong explains current research into COVID-19 monitoring and surveillance using wastewater.
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Monitoring precious groundwater resources for arid agricultural regions
Feb 8, 2021
A pioneering framework will monitor groundwater use for agricultural irrigation across Saudi Arabia.
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A salt solution for desalinating brine
Feb 21, 2021
Solar-powered brine crystallization could alleviate the environmental impacts of seawater desalination.
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Harnessing the power of microbes for water reuse
Mar 31, 2021
Technologies that use the metabolic properties of microbial communities to treat wastewater and generate energy will transform water reuse.
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Recruiting bacteria to build catalysts atom by atom
May 27, 2021
An enigmatic bacterium proves a useful ally for the synthesis of single-atom catalysts to split hydrogen from water.
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Getting smart about off-grid desalination
Aug 3, 2021
Theoretical modeling helps boost the efficiency of a device that generates both clean drinking water and electricity.
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Strong sunlight powers passive cooling device
Sep 19, 2021
Sustainable electricity-free appliance can harness solar energy to reduce temperatures on hot days.
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The curious task of watching liquid marbles dry
Oct 11, 2021
Understanding how liquid marbles behave as they evaporate provides valuable insights into these unique structures and their potential applications.
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Treated jute bags boost grain storage and other green goals
Oct 17, 2021
A wax-based treatment for jute bags improves water repellency and reduces loss of stored food grains.
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Chemical-free cleaning of bioreactor membranes
Oct 28, 2021
Combining two chemical-free treatments shows promise as an approach for reducing biofilm build-up on anaerobic bioreactor membranes.
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What we knew about water was right after all
Feb 15, 2022
Hydrogen peroxide only forms in the presence of ozone in water microdroplets.
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Coproducing water and electricity powers crop growth
Mar 3, 2022
A solar-driven system to generate electricity and produce water for crops in arid areas may help a decentralized approach to food, water and energy security.
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Drones shed light on coastal water flows
Mar 17, 2022
Unmanned aerial vehicles show promise for monitoring coastal water flows over large areas.
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Wax coating helps waning water resources
Apr 24, 2022
A sand-based mulch could help reduce irrigation on desert farms.
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Greening hydrocarbon separation and crude oil refining
Aug 30, 2022
Polymer-based membranes that selectively separate hydrocarbon and crude oil mixtures could eclipse current industrial thermal processes.
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Membranes help multiply microbial CO2 munching
Sep 20, 2022
Multifunctional porous conductive membranes help microbes eat their way to a faster carbon dioxide conversion.
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Upcycled plastic membrane helps clean up waste
Feb 5, 2023
Plant-derived biosolvents enable the sustainable conversion of plastic waste into valuable membrane materials.
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Bacterial route to cleaner catalysis
Mar 16, 2023
An electroactive bacterium generates well-defined nanosized metal catalysts with remarkable water-splitting performance.
