Researchers at the University of Vienna in Austria have developed a material made from plastic waste, capable of absorbing moisture from the air and releasing water when heated at moderate temperatures, a technique that may open the door to new methods of water collection, especially in areas suffering from water scarcity.
A study published yesterday Wednesday in the scientific journal "Chem Circularity" stated that researchers used various types of discarded plastics, including polystyrene, old compact discs, and Lego toy pieces, to produce materials that absorb water vapor from the air and retain it, after subjecting the plastic to special chemical treatment.
The results showed that the material made from polystyrene can absorb an amount of water equivalent to about 60 percent of its weight in humid conditions, and about 20 percent in dry conditions, while the absorbed water can be extracted by heating the material to moderate temperatures, including utilizing the heat of sunlight.
According to the study, most of the moisture absorption and water release process takes about an hour, and the materials showed the ability to withstand repeated cycles of use, indicating the possibility of reusing them in water collection processes.
This technology could contribute in the future to repurposing plastic waste to develop systems that extract water from air humidity, combining waste reduction with exploring additional water sources, although widespread application requires further studies to evaluate its efficiency and cost, and to verify the safety and potability of the extracted water.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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