Fog water harvesting is not a new concept in areas where traditional water sources are scarce. People in foggy regions have been using nets to catch droplets of water, which then trickle down the mesh and are collected for drinking, cooking, and washing purposes. It is worth noting that a significant downside to this method is the presence of atmospheric pollutants in the collected water due to polluted air.

Researchers at ETH Zurich look to address this by unveiling a groundbreaking solution that harnesses the power of fog to provide clean, drinkable water while simultaneously tackling the issue of atmospheric pollution. This revolutionary instrument not only captures fog droplets for water harvesting but also purifies them, offering hope to regions grappling with water scarcity and pollution.

ETH Zurich has devised a method that gathers fog water efficiently and purifies it in the process. This cutting-edge approach involves using a lattice of metal wire coated with carefully chosen polymers and titanium dioxide. The polymers facilitate the efficient collection of water droplets on the mesh, preventing wind-induced losses. Simultaneously, the titanium dioxide acts as a chemical catalyst, breaking down organic pollutants present in the droplets and rendering them harmless.

One remarkable aspect of this technology is its minimal maintenance requirement. Unlike conventional fog water harvesting methods, the new instrument does not demand substantial energy inputs. A small dose of UV light is all it takes to reactivate the titanium oxide catalyst, and just half an hour of sunlight can sustain the reactivation for a full day, thanks to the property of photocatalytic memory.

Moreover, the reactivated catalyst remains active for extended periods even without sunlight, a boon for regions with limited sunshine. This attribute proves invaluable in places where fog is common but sunlight is not.

The team tested their innovation extensively in laboratory settings and a small pilot plant in Zurich. The results were impressive-during tests involving artificially generated fog, they collected 8% of the water content and broke down a staggering 94% of added organic compounds. These compounds included fine diesel droplets and the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A.

By tapping into fog and steam, often overlooked sources of water, the research team envisions contributing to the mitigation of water scarcity, a critical global challenge.

According to techtimes.com