We’re excited to share that our latest work, “Direct Electrosynthesis and Separation Platform for Chlorine from Saline Water”, has been published in Environmental Science & Technology!
In this study, we developed a scalable multilayer electrode system that enables direct electrosynthesis and in-situ separation of chlorine (Cl₂) from real saline waters such as seawater and RO brine. The flow-through configuration of this platform facilitates continuous operation and efficient chlorine recovery directly from complex waste streams. Our platform achieves up to 97% selectivity and nearly 100% separation efficiency, while also suppressing toxic oxychloride byproducts. Importantly, the system produced sodium hypochlorite solutions at practical concentrations (0.53–5.1 wt%) and met strict environmental discharge standards. This work opens new possibilities for decentralized chlorine production, wastewater valorization, and safer, more sustainable electrochemical water treatment.
Grateful for the support from NSF/BSF (award number: 2215387), NJWRRI (award number: G21AP10595-01), and NJIT’s TITA Seed Grant, and special thanks to our collaborators at the Yuma Desalination Plant in Arizona for providing real RO retentate.
👨🔬 First author: Jianan Gao
👨🏫 Corresponding author: Wen Zhang
🔗 [Link to the paper – https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c02676]
#EnvironmentalEngineering, #Electrochemistry, #WaterTreatment, #Sustainability, #Desalination