Solar evaporation enabled household ethanol distillation and disinfection system for remote area

IF 3.7 3区生物学 Q2 BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

Biochemical Engineering Journal Pub Date : 2025-04-11 DOI:10.1016/j.bej.2025.109757

Yijuan Wang , Ying Liao , Xiaojing Hou , Mingyang Shu , Liang Qian , Hao Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Ethanol concentrations of 70 %–90 % are commonly used to prevent healthcare-associated infections due to their effectiveness against various pathogens. However, high costs and transportation challenges limit the availability of commercial ethanol disinfectants, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Local recycling of waste ethanol could address these issues, but large-scale implementation is hindered by the need for specialized equipment. Here, a small-scale, solar-powered ethanol recycling and disinfection device designed for household use was developed. Recycled melamine sponges, coated with polydopamine, serve as solar evaporators. The system achieves high evaporation rates (1.52–7.54 kg m⁻² h⁻¹) for ethanol solutions ranging from 0 % to 100 %. Through multiple distillations, dilute ethanol can be concentrated to the required levels for medical disinfection. A closed-loop system recycles waste ethanol, and outdoor tests demonstrate its effectiveness in eliminating Escherichia coli and Candida albicans using solar-generated ethanol vapor. This work offers a sustainable solution for small-scale ethanol distillation and disinfection in remote areas.

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太阳能蒸发实现了偏远地区家用乙醇蒸馏和消毒系统

浓度为 70%-90% 的乙醇由于对各种病原体有效，通常用于预防与医疗保健有关的感染。然而，高昂的成本和运输困难限制了商用乙醇消毒剂的供应，尤其是在中低收入国家。就地回收废乙醇可以解决这些问题，但由于需要专业设备，大规模实施受到阻碍。在此，我们开发了一种小型太阳能乙醇回收和消毒设备，专供家庭使用。涂有聚多巴胺的回收三聚氰胺海绵可用作太阳能蒸发器。该系统的乙醇溶液蒸发率很高（1.52-7.54 kg m-2 h-1），范围从 0% 到 100%。通过多次蒸馏，稀乙醇可以浓缩到医疗消毒所需的水平。一个闭环系统对废弃乙醇进行回收利用，室外测试表明，利用太阳能产生的乙醇蒸汽消除大肠杆菌和白色念珠菌非常有效。这项工作为偏远地区的小规模乙醇蒸馏和消毒提供了一个可持续的解决方案。

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来源期刊

Biochemical Engineering Journal 工程技术-工程：化工

CiteScore

7.10

自引率

5.10%

发文量

380

审稿时长

34 days

期刊介绍： The Biochemical Engineering Journal aims to promote progress in the crucial chemical engineering aspects of the development of biological processes associated with everything from raw materials preparation to product recovery relevant to industries as diverse as medical/healthcare, industrial biotechnology, and environmental biotechnology. The Journal welcomes full length original research papers, short communications, and review papers* in the following research fields: Biocatalysis (enzyme or microbial) and biotransformations, including immobilized biocatalyst preparation and kinetics Biosensors and Biodevices including biofabrication and novel fuel cell development Bioseparations including scale-up and protein refolding/renaturation Environmental Bioengineering including bioconversion, bioremediation, and microbial fuel cells Bioreactor Systems including characterization, optimization and scale-up Bioresources and Biorefinery Engineering including biomass conversion, biofuels, bioenergy, and optimization Industrial Biotechnology including specialty chemicals, platform chemicals and neutraceuticals Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering including bioartificial organs, cell encapsulation, and controlled release Cell Culture Engineering (plant, animal or insect cells) including viral vectors, monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, vaccines, and secondary metabolites Cell Therapies and Stem Cells including pluripotent, mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells; immunotherapies; tissue-specific differentiation; and cryopreservation Metabolic Engineering, Systems and Synthetic Biology including OMICS, bioinformatics, in silico biology, and metabolic flux analysis Protein Engineering including enzyme engineering and directed evolution.