Photothermal evaporation and intelligent drip irrigation for efficient water recycling during closed-loop saline soil remediation
Date
2025
Authors
Yu, H.
Wu, P.
Wang, J.
Yang, X.
Shi, Y.
Li, Z.
Owens, G.
Pi, K.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Chemical Engineering Journal, 2025; 518(164707):1-9
Statement of Responsibility
Conference Name
Abstract
Saline soils are widespread worldwide, threatening agricultural productivity and ecological stability. However, conventional saline soil remediation via leaching often involves excessive water use and causes secondary contamination, making efficient leachate treatment and water recycling a critical challenge. Recently, interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) has emerged as a water-conserving purification technology, offering a sustainable approach to leachate management and reuse. This work proposes a closed-loop water recycling system that integrates intelligent drip irrigation with photothermal-driven interfacial evaporation to enhance water conservation and desalination efficiency. A composite evaporator, incorporating an aerogel synthesized from sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, and carbon nanotubes, along with a PET-aluminized reflective concentrator, achieved an evaporation rate of 4.65 kg m-2 h-1 and a maximum water collection rate of 22.4 kg m-2 day-1 in longterm outdoor experiments. The integration of intelligent irrigation with solar-driven evaporation reduced soil conductivity from 1.134 to 0.292 mS cm-1, increasing wheat seed germination to 90 %. Notably, freshwater recovered from evaporated leachate was directly reused for successive leaching and irrigation, ensuring a sustainable and resource-efficient remediation cycle. This work presents a scalable, sustainable approach to saline soil remediation by reducing water consumption, preventing secondary pollution, and enabling continuous water recycling. The proposed system offers a promising strategy for addressing global challenges in soil desalination and agricultural water resource management.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Data source: supplementary data, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.164707
Access Status
Rights
Copyright 2025 Elsevier