• Processes of desalination that utilize renewable energy are preferable than energy-intensive methods. Small-scale, self-sufficient passive solar stills are a realistic solution for water- and energy-scarce places.
• The performance of a solar still is affected by both uncontrolled environmental parameters and manipulable parameters.
• Controlling manipulating parameters such as evaporation area of the basin, tilt angle and temperature of condensation surface, thermal gain of the feedwater by thermal storage, and heat transmission utilizing fins/conductive material can produce highly productive passive solar stills.
• Utilization of sunlight concentrators by refraction, incorporation of conductive nanoparticles with thermal storage, and multi-staging are emerging trends to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of passive solar stills.

The lack of clean water poses a significant difficulty for the 21st century, necessitating the usage of contaminated waters as potable water sources. While there has been significant public interest in saltwater desalination, utilities are far more focused on the less energy-intensive recycling of municipal wastewaters. The subject of this research is the chemical safety of potable reuse waters. Potable reuse trains have traditionally utilized reverse osmosis (RO) as a physical separation method, followed by an advanced oxidation process (AOP) based on the synthesis of hydroxyl radical by UV photolysis of hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2 AOP). Due to the inefficiency of the UV/H2O2 AOP, we are studying alternatives, such as the UV photolysis of chlorine (UV/HOCl AOP) and the electrochemical activation of H2O2. In other research, we are assessing the treatment of RO concentrate (the stream of waste products rejected by RO membranes) prior to its release into delicate ecosystems. Finally, there is interest in alternatives to the energy-intensive RO process. Developing a technique to compare the chemical safety of potable reuse waters generated by RO or RO-free potable reuse trains to conventional drinking water is the focus of our effort. Our research blends laboratory- and pilot-scale evaluations with full-scale validation.

Focuses on important issues at the intersection of public health and the environment, with a focus on reducing the threat posed by waterborne pathogens by making our engineering infrastructure more effective, affordable, and environmentally friendly. Some areas of research include how to stop pathogens from spreading, how to use molecular techniques to find pathogens, how to improve treatment processes, how to reuse water, and how to solve problems with safe drinking water and sanitation in the developing world.

The unregulated discharge of enormous amounts of oily wastewater from a range of businesses and generated water from oil refineries poses a significant threat to the environment and wastes valuable water resources. Recently, oil-water separation utilizing tailored membranes with superwetting surface characteristics has captured the interest of scientists and researchers throughout the globe. Our group at DWT specializes in the fabrication of superhydrophobic/superoleophilic (or vice versa) microporous membranes utilizing easy synthesis techniques such as dip- and spray-coating, layer by layer assembly, and nanoparticle deposition. The membranes are then evaluated utilizing a variety of advanced techniques, including FESEM, XPS, FTIR, and CA goniometery, in order to examine the changes in surface morphology, chemistry, and wettability. The separation effectiveness of membranes for different types of oils and organics from water is then determined using laboratory-scale apparatuses that are custom-built.