I-Corps: Translation Potential of Sustainable Water Desalination Using Living Plants Enabled with Synthetic Biology

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a method to filter salt from saltwater and use the remaining water to irrigate living green plants. Currently, the availability of freshwater limits economic development and agriculture, especially in the Western U.S., and in many other parts of the world. The goal of the technology is to produce freshwater from saltwater in a sustainable way.

The solution was inspired by naturally occurring mangroves. The technology uses plants that have been biologically engineered to filter seawater and “pump” or produce freshwater. These genetically enhanced plants have specialized root barriers that allow them to filter saltwater. This technology may provide a sustainable, economic option to freshwater scarcity.

This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of genetically engineered plants to produce freshwater from saltwater. Inspired by the water filtering capabilities of mangroves, living plants are developed using a synthetic biology platform where it is possible to add specialized root epidermal barriers to any plant species allowing the plant to filter saltwater.

Also, the plants are engineered with a synthetic system to “pump” the purified freshwater by refactoring well characterized genes and directing their expression to the plant’s xylem. The goal is to provide a decentralized water purification ability using the sun to power photosynthetic water purification, which may reduce energy costs comparable to that of solar panels.

The technology has been demonstrated in a model laboratory plant, and calculations suggest that the technology, when scaled, may provide freshwater volumes equivalent to that of energy intensive thermal mechanical sites. The technology may be used for water purification from seawater, brackish water, and residential water recycling.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.