desalination

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desalination Extraction of pure water (for drinking, industrial and chemical uses, or for irrigation) from water containing dissolved salts, usually sea water. The commonest and oldest method is distillation. Another method is to freeze the salt solution; salt is excluded from the ice crystals which can then be melted. In reverse osmosis, pure water only passes through a semipermeable membrane against which salt water is pressurized. Other methods include electrodialysis.

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