According to ABC, scientists at Tianjin's Nankai University have innovated a solar-powered desalination system that harnesses smart DNA hydrogels for freshwater production.

The method was highlighted in a recent Science Advances publication and offers a significant energy efficiency advantage over traditional desalination techniques like reverse osmosis, which are energy-intensive, the report says

Additionally, the system is capable of extracting uranium from seawater and treating nuclear wastewater containing uranyl.

In tests conducted in the Bohai Sea, northeast China, a novel solar-powered technique utilizing a DNA hydrogel matrix with graphene oxide demonstrated impressive efficiency, evaporating water at a rate of 3.54 kg per square meter per hour, according to the study team.