RMIT University
RMIT University is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
New wastewater treatment system could prevent fatbergs at the source
A new wastewater treatment system developed by RMIT University researchers could help prevent fatbergs – solid masses of fat, oil and grease (FOG) that clog sewers and cost water utilities globally billions to remove each year. These congealed blockages, formed when FOG binds with wet wipes and other debris, reduce sewer capacity, trigger overflows and […]
Engineers develop sponge-like device to capture water from air and release it under sunlight
Engineers from Australia and China have invented a sponge-like device that captures water from thin air and then releases it in a cup using the sun's energy, even in low humidity where other technologies such as fog harvesting and radiative cooling have struggled. The water-from-air device remained effective across a broad range of humidity levels […]
New technology to enable sustainable production of bio-oils from treated sewage
Australian technology developed at RMIT University could enable more sustainable and cheaper production of bio-oils to replace petroleum-based products in electronic, construction and automotive applications. The technology, known as PYROCOTM, uses high temperatures without oxygen to convert treated sewage (biosolids) into a carbon-rich product called biochar, which can act as a catalyst to produce phenol-rich […]
Anti-fatberg invention could help unclog city sewers
Engineers from RMIT University have invented a protective coating for concrete pipes that could help drastically reduce the formation of fatbergs in sewers. Fat, oil and grease (known as FOG) – notorious for solidifying inside pipes and concrete sewers – causes half of all sewer blockages in the United States and 40% in Australia. The cost […]
Turning to nature to improve vital water treatment
RMIT has led an international team exploring nature-based water treatment solutions in urban areas in Vietnam, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Escalating industrialisation, urbanisation and climate change in Asia present a significant challenge to maintaining water quality. In an effort to improve water treatment, RMIT has collaborated in an international team supporting pilot projects in […]
Engineers “strike gold” with innovation that recovers heavy metals from biosolids
Engineers in Melbourne have developed a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to remove heavy metals, including copper and zinc, from biosolids. The team’s work, led by RMIT University in collaboration with South East Water and Manipal University in India, advances other methods for heavy-metal removal by recycling the acidic liquid waste that is produced during […]
How to make hydrogen straight from seawater – no desalination required
Researchers have developed a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to make hydrogen directly from seawater, in a critical step towards a truly viable green hydrogen industry. The new method from RMIT University researchers splits the seawater directly into hydrogen and oxygen – skipping the need for desalination and its associated cost, energy consumption and carbon […]
Magnetic material mops up microplastics in water
Researchers at RMIT University have found an innovative way to rapidly remove hazardous microplastics from water using magnets. Lead researcher Professor Nicky Eshtiaghi said existing methods could take days to remove microplastics from water, while their cheap and sustainable invention achieves better results in just one hour. The team says they have developed adsorbents, in […]
Cement-free concrete beats corrosion and gives fatbergs the flush
Researchers from RMIT University have developed an eco-friendly zero-cement concrete, which all but eliminates corrosion.