Scientists from Australia have come up with a way to turn salt water into drinking water. It takes sun and a little time

A related study was published in Nature Sustainability.

These materials have a porous structure (that is, they have many voids in their structure) and can absorb various substances, including gases.

Updated: in the previous version of the news, it was said that the material cleans water from the salt in the sun in 4 minutes. This is not true. We apologize to our readers for the inaccuracy.

The material absorbs salts from the sea and brackish water and turns it into drinking water in just half an hour. This water is safe for humans. A kilogram of material can purify 139.5 liters of water per day.

At the same time, these crystals can be regenerated for reuse if they are exposed to sunlight for 4 minutes.

Scientists call this method more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. Metal-organic scaffold materials can be installed on pipes and other plumbing systems to produce drinking water.

However, while scientists do not say when their technology from water purification can be massively used.

Why is water purification important?

Saltwater (which is oceans and seas) makes up approximately 97% of all water on Earth. And according to the World Health Organization, more than 785 million people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water. Over the course of global climate change, the number of such people will only increase.

So, saltwater is a huge untapped resource for providing the population with drinking water, so scientists are looking for ways to purify water.