Blaney Lab publishes review article on Donnan dialysis

The latest publication from the Blaney Lab is titled, "Recent advances in Donnan dialysis processes for water/wastewater treatment and resource recovery: A critical review". This review is a collaborative effort by CBEE authors Hui Chen, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Michael Rose, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Michael Fleming, Environmental Engineering PhD student, Sahar Souizi, Environmental Engineering PhD student, Utsav Shashvatt Ph.D. ‘21, Environmental Engineering , and Lee Blaney, Professor. The paper describes the use of Donnan dialysis as a sustainable method for removing contaminants and recovering resources from water and wastewater.

Donnan dialysis involves the use of an ion-exchange membrane to separate a feed solution containing a target ion from a draw solution with a high concentration of acid, base, or salt. The electrochemical potential gradients of the target and draw ions across the membrane facilitate transport phenomena that can be exploited for contaminant removal or resource recovery.

In the paper, the authors highlight the need for a consistent framework for the design and interpretation of Donnan dialysis systems using the Rd/w concept and evaluate the impacts of solution properties, membrane characteristics, and system configuration on the effectiveness of the process. They also discuss the use of Donnan dialysis for the treatment and recovery of metals, nutrients, and other inorganic and organic chemicals.

The authors also provided recommendations for future studies to fill knowledge gaps and promote new opportunities in the field. Overall, this paper serves as an important resource for those working on Donnan dialysis for clean water and circular economy purposes.