Paper co-author Kaitlin Brickey, a Penn State graduate student in chemical engineering, stands in front of the scanning electron microscope that allowed researchers to examine how dense pockets in membranes could hinder efficient water filtration efforts. (Credit: Tyler Henderson/Penn State)
(CN) A major advancement in water filtration technology revealed Thursday may lead to lower water prices and greater availability throughout otherwise dry areas of the globe.
The vast majority of water on Earth is found in oceans, so lowering the cost of filtering seawater could dramatically improve the quality of life for people living in regions without much rainfall or groundwater.