Soroush Ahmadi

With less than 1% of the Earth's water available for human use, desalination has become crucial in addressing water scarcity, particularly in arid and coastal regions. By removing salts and impurities from seawater or brackish water, desalination provides a reliable source of fresh water for drinking, agriculture, and industry. Membranes have gained an important place in chemical technology and are used in a broad range of applications. Among various desalination methods, forward osmosis (FO) has gained prominence as an innovative membrane-based separation technique. Unlike reverse osmosis, it operates through osmotic pressure gradients rather than high hydraulic pressure, resulting in reduced energy requirements. The process employs semi-permeable membranes and offers several advantages: minimal operational pressure needs, effective rejection of diverse contaminants, and potentially reduced membrane fouling compared to pressure-driven alternatives. This study examines how hydrogel particles function as draw agents in the FO desalination process.