The Arctic Circle is a supply of not only fish, but also fresh water. Image from fineartamerica.
A Finnish University recently discovered the benefits of crystallization, or freezing water in order to purify it. Essentially, these scientists found that the upper layer of ice from a lake in Finland was nearly ten times cleaner than the water beneath. In addition, ice that had formed more slowly was noticeably cleaner than rapidly formed ice. This event called crystallization can only occur with the presence of a solvent and solute, such as water and salt. A professor from Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) made the statement below regarding the study.
“Lake water contained about ten times more impurities than the ice…the slower the layer of ice grows, the cleaner the ice is.”
– Professor Marjatta Louhi-Kultanen
Researchers from LUT admitted that this process does not completely purify sea water, however it is a great method of removing impurities. Evidently, clean ice is a naturally forming product in the Arctic Circle. Crystallization is also energy efficient because it uses seven times less energy than evaporation to create cleaner water. Once the ice is collected it can go through a secondary purification stage like membrane filtration and then will be ready for use. Researchers at LUT suggest this method be used in places that require large volumes of water, but not completely pure water, such as mining practices or other industrial efforts. Overall, crystallization is a unique method to keep in mind when you think of all the salt water covering Earth. Read more on freezing water purification here.
I really enjoyed reading your piece “Clean Ice.” You did a great job explaining crystallization to someone who is not very scientifically savvy! I’ve never heard of the concept of clean ice before, and I’m sure not a lot of people have either, but it would be extremely beneficial if the idea got out there a little bit more. I think this post (and your blog in general) could potentially be the gateway of informing many college students of this!
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Thanks for the feedback Katie! Yeah, I couldn’t believe the article at first saying that this was a new discovery. Haha. You would have thought people knew this since the beginning of time.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
GOOD REPORT ABOUT PRACTICAL WAYS OF CLEANING WATER TO BE “GOOD ENOUGH” FOR INDUSTRIAL USE. WOULD REFRIGERATION–AS REQUIRED FOR WAATER CRYSTALIZATION–BE ENERGY EFFICIENT IN AREAS WHEN IT HAS TO BE USED?
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It obviously works in colder regions…does it equally work well in temperate ot hotter climates, where help is needed to encourage crystallization? 🙂
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Actually, freezing water causes a lot of trouble in regions without access to frozen salt water. If it doesn’t happen naturally it is extremely inefficient. That I know of, no one uses crystallization in the United States. However, I have heard of its use for companies in Russia.
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That makes sense. Thank you for answering an old duffer’s speculation…actually, it’s old (1983) but this duffer does have an M.S.E. in Biology.
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Thanks for the comment Jonathan! I enjoyed taking biology this semester, it’s a fun subject…might go for an M.S. myself!
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