Application of Graphene and Zeolite Absorbents in Water Desalination

The scarcity of freshwater resources increases the importance of seawater and brackish water desalination processes. However, a large amount of specific energy requirements, and high operational costs, present a big challenge in adopting desalination technologies. Due to high expenses of energy, desalination of saline waters by low-cost methods is important. The objective of this research was to investigate the ability of two adsorbents (zeolite and graphene oxide) to remove salinity ions from aqueous solutions in Caspian Sea water and water of the well of the Dark zone in Isfahan. At first, some graphene oxide was made according to Homer's method. Then, the characteristics of graphene oxide were known by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and using an electron microscope. After that, the ability of adsorbents to remove salinity agent cations and anions was evaluated. To investigate a fixed-bed zeolite column with graphene oxide (GO) layer was used to remove Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Cl– from 50 cc of saline water. Also, Hexadecyl trimethylamine (HDTMA) was used to modify natural zeolites. The results showed that among the adsorbents for the water of the well in the Dark zone, 30 mg graphene oxide with 13 gr zeolite had the highest adsorption rate (23.84 percent of salinity reduction), and for Caspian Sea water, 13 gr zeolite modified by surfactants had the highest adsorption rate (23.43 percent of salinity reduction). Also, the removal of cations and anion followed the sequence: K+ >Ca2+ >Mg2+ >Cl– >Na+

The Possibility of Using Azolla anzali and Lemna Minor to Reduce Water Loss from Surface Water and as a Green Fertilizer in Farms

Water scarcity and lack of soil fertility are two major problems in the agriculture sector. This study aimed to use Azolla anzali and Lemna minor as a cover for a free surface of the water since not only do they have the potential to reduce evaporation, but they can also produce green fertilizer. Therefore, a completely randomized design experiment with 4 treatments (Azolla anzali, Lemna minor, combination of Azolla anzali+ Lemna minor and control) was performed with three replications. The surface of the reservoirs was covered with the mentioned plants and the changes in water height were measured every other day and the amount of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) of the plant tissue was measured three times at the beginning, middle, and end of the period. Eventually, water loss in tanks containing Lemna, Azolla, and Lemna+ Azolla, was 39, 33.2, and 28.7% less than the control tank. The highest amount of nutrients in plant tissue was observed in Lemna, Azolla+ Lemna, and Azolla treatments, respectively. Although the amount of nutrients in the combined treatment was not higher than that of Lemna more biomass was produced, which means it can provide more fertilizer. Finally, the combined treatment of the two plants is a more suitable option to be used