Proprietary low-energy biofilm desalination technology for potable water production

Overview

Witten Technologies Inc. has developed a proprietary low-energy desalination technology based on a biofilm derived from a component of human lung surfactant. The biofilm naturally attracts salt to its pores, enabling the production of potable-quality water at a fraction of the energy cost of conventional reverse osmosis systems. Preliminary testing has demonstrated the ability to extract 15-20% of salt from brackish water in a single pass and 25-30% from simulated seawater (35,000 ppm salt). The technology offers a compelling value proposition for industries and municipalities facing rising energy costs and water scarcity, with the added potential to recover lithium from seawater as a secondary revenue stream.

Technical specifications

• Biofilm-based salt attraction: A proprietary biofilm coating on silicon disks attracts salt ions to its pores, enabling desalination without high-pressure pumping.
• Low energy consumption: Uses only 10-15% of the energy required by reverse osmosis desalination, making it suitable for solar and wind power integration.
• Reusable biofilm plates: Silicon disks can be reused for 10-13 desalination cycles before requiring cleaning or recoating.
• Scalable disk architecture: Silicon disks have been successfully scaled from two-inch to six-inch diameter, proportionally increasing desalinated water volume.
• Multi-pass design: An estimated 8-10 passages through the biofilm are required to reduce salt concentration below 500 ppm in simulated seawater.
• Lithium recovery potential: Lithium present in seawater can be extracted during the desalination process, providing an additional revenue opportunity.

Technology readiness level

The technology is currently at a pilot readiness stage (TRL 5-6). Preliminary laboratory validation has been completed using Yuma brackish water and simulated seawater, and the biofilm plates have demonstrated reusability across multiple cycles. Silicon disk scaling from two-inch to six-inch diameter has been achieved with corresponding increases in desalinated water volume. The next phase involves a proposed six-month pilot-scale collaboration with Pepsi-Co, using 12-inch silicon disks in a 2 cubic meter desalination tank at the University of Arizona Nano-MicroFab lab or at a Pepsi-Co facility. This pilot will validate the technology at a larger scale and confirm performance under real-world brackish water conditions.