Desalination

Description

Typically desalination processes are applied on a large scale for the production of potable water from salt water. In conservation, desalination techniques may be used to remove soluble salts from ceramics, masonry, and statuary. Some of these techniques are 1) continual flushing with gently flowing deionized water to dissolve and wash away salts, 2) repeated soaking baths in deionized water to dissolve salts, 3) moistened clay poultices to dissolve and leach salts; 4) electrodialysis which pulls the ions of the dissolved salts through irreversible membranes to the electrodes and 5) solvent extraction.

Synonyms and Related Terms

desalinization; desalinisation (Br.); Entsalzung (Deut.); déssalement (Fr.); dessalinização (Port.); desalting

Resources and Citations

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976