Mexican researchers turn used batteries into water‑cleaning filters

Scientists in Mexico have created filters that repurpose graphite from discarded electric‑vehicle batteries to clean contaminated water. Led by researcher Jorge Roberto Oliva Uc at UNAM’s Center for Applied Physics and Advanced Technology, the team combines recovered graphite with natural fibers, recycled PET, and low‑cost clays to remove pharmaceuticals, dyes, herbicides and other pollutants. Some filters operate using solar energy, achieving up to 95% contaminant removal and about 85% desalination efficiency in laboratory tests.

In Argentina, the Aqua LVD facility in La Ballenera, General Alvarado, employs Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) that reuse more than 95% of the water used for fish and shrimp production. The closed‑loop process filters, sterilises and re‑oxygenates water drawn from a deep aquifer before returning it to the tanks, dramatically cutting water consumption and effluent discharge while maintaining stable, high‑quality growth conditions.

Both projects illustrate emerging water‑technology solutions in Latin America that aim to address scarcity and environmental impact through circular‑economy approaches.