Tag: Water

A robot banishes harmful algae slicks to the ocean floor. And, according to an Australian research team, oil spills could soon be hoovered up by mini-robots. Key here: a new filter with small, air-filled pouches, coated with a water-resistant nanolayer of graphene oxide. It separates oil with 95% purity and can be extensively reused. The 3D-printed, electrically-operated mini-robot complete...

Tree bark can be an alternative to single-use plastic. Meanwhile a Finnish PhD student has alighted on pine bark as a filter for removing pharmaceutical residues from liquid waste. Treated wastewater often contains traces of medication such as blood pressure medicine or antidepressants. Antibiotics are particularly problematic as their presence helps pathogens develop resistance. The female researcher fortified the...

Fish waste can be used to manufacture sustainable packaging. Though water hyacinth protects fish, the proliferous plant harms biodiversity and destroys fishing nets. Enter a Kenyan founder' startup with a sustainable solution. Fishermen collect the weed, earning money for each dried kilo. Fibres are then extracted and, in a patented process, turned into a plastic alternative using an organic...

A sensor system makes brackish water fit for consumption at all times. In Holland, a startup has developed a smart device to monitor water stored in reservoirs. Sensors measure water quality and consumption while an algorithm analyses the data. If the quality is compromised, unusual amounts of water are taken or the fill level is low, tank owners are...

Ships at anchor can generate electricity. Now, a London-based designer wants to equip narrowboats with a special bumper to help clean up British canal waters. The plastic bumper, which hangs from outside the boat, has holes in its lower half, and is filled with coconut fibres and microbes. As the canal water flows into these openings any oil it...

Some solar panels follow the sun, while surplus energy can be stored in sand. Now a Boston-based research team has developed a battery-free, solar-powered desalination system for remote areas. The system utilises salt-heavy brackish groundwater and pumps it through a live membrane, meaning salt ions are drawn out as the water flows through. The novelty? An ingenious sensor system,...

Banana paper protects potatoes from parasites. After harvesting, potato stems are often burned, since they are hard to compost and unsuitable as animal feed or fertiliser. A London-based startup has recognised their value. In their patent-pending process, fibres are extracted from stems using biological and mechanical processes and spun into yarn. Like cotton, linen or synthetic fibre, it can...

It’s important to know ships’ coordinates as well as the effect they’re having on the environment. Now, smaller boats at anchor can help generate renewable energy through hydropower thanks to a startup based in southeast Alaska. Its rotor device is secured to the boat by rope; under the water, tidal currents make the rotor spin, powering the generator. Weighing...