21
The major desalination processes around the world use reverse osmosis for more
than half of the installed capacity (Zhou and Tol 2005; Veerapaneni et al. 2007).
1.3.3 Dialysis
Some specialized membranes are slightly more permeable to solutes and use a
related process known as dialysis (a process that uses a semipermeable membrane
with pores big enough to allow small solute molecules as well as solvent molecules
to pass through but not large solute molecules).
Failure of kidneys would compel patients to use dialysis wherein dialysis
machine blood is pumped next to a membrane with dialysis fluid on the other side
so that the water in the blood, and small molecules of waste, move across the membrane into the dialysis fluid.
1.3.4 Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is a specialization of physical chemistry that is concerned with the
relationship between electricity and chemical reactions. In oxidation–reduction
(redox) reactions, electrons are transferred from one reductant to the oxidant. This
transfer of electrons gives a means for changing electrical energy to chemical energy
or vice versa.
The brain is an electrochemical machine and the neuron is the basic working unit
of the brain. Many neurological diseases are linked to neurotoxicity arising from
exposure to toxic substances in the environment.
The corrosion process involves oxidation and reduction reaction (Figs. 1.14
and 1.15).
1.4 Catalytic Chemistry
A catalyst is a substance that influences the rate of chemical reaction by decreasing
its activation energy. Quantity of catalyst remains the same before as well as after
the chemical reaction.
Catalysts influence a chemical reaction by changing its mechanism, as
expressed below.
Reaction without catalyst:
A B AB
+ =
Reaction with catalyst:
1.3 Physical Chemistry
The major desalination processes around the world use reverse osmosis for more
than half of the installed capacity (Zhou and Tol 2005; Veerapaneni et al. 2007).
1.3.3 Dialysis
Some specialized membranes are slightly more permeable to solutes and use a
related process known as dialysis (a process that uses a semipermeable membrane
with pores big enough to allow small solute molecules as well as solvent molecules
to pass through but not large solute molecules).
Failure of kidneys would compel patients to use dialysis wherein dialysis
machine blood is pumped next to a membrane with dialysis fluid on the other side
so that the water in the blood, and small molecules of waste, move across the membrane into the dialysis fluid.
1.3.4 Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is a specialization of physical chemistry that is concerned with the
relationship between electricity and chemical reactions. In oxidation–reduction
(redox) reactions, electrons are transferred from one reductant to the oxidant. This
transfer of electrons gives a means for changing electrical energy to chemical energy
or vice versa.
The brain is an electrochemical machine and the neuron is the basic working unit
of the brain. Many neurological diseases are linked to neurotoxicity arising from
exposure to toxic substances in the environment.
The corrosion process involves oxidation and reduction reaction (Figs. 1.14
and 1.15).
1.4 Catalytic Chemistry
A catalyst is a substance that influences the rate of chemical reaction by decreasing
its activation energy. Quantity of catalyst remains the same before as well as after
the chemical reaction.
Catalysts influence a chemical reaction by changing its mechanism, as
expressed below.
Reaction without catalyst:
A B AB
+ =
Reaction with catalyst:
1.3 Physical Chemistry