How to Remove Salt From a Water Solution

The sea is the biggest natural source of salt water

Removing the salt from water has been a necessity for civilizations for centuries, and mankind has developed several ways to do it. Salt water can be distilled, frozen in a way that separates the salt crystals from the ice, or separated through a process called reverse osmosis. Although reverse osmosis is the most popular method, throughout history simply boiling and evaporating the water and leaving the salt in the container has proven effective.

Things You'll Need

• Beaker
• Alcohol or butane burner
• Burner stand

Instructions

1. Set up a burner and stand assembly, centering the burner under the stand. Light the burner carefully and adjust the flame so that its center cone barely touches the bottom of the stand.

2. Place a beaker of salt water on the stand and let it come to a boil. Adjust the flame as necessary to keep the water from boiling over.

3. Remove the beaker carefully once all the liquid has evaporated. Let the container cool. You should see salt crystals in the bottom of the beaker.

Tips & Warnings

• If you wish to purify the water, you can simply cover the beaker and run a tube from it to another covered beaker. Once cooled, the evaporated vapor will appear as water in the second container.

• Always wear the appropriate safety gear, including safety goggles and gloves, when working with chemicals and an open flame.

References

• Department of Energy - Science Education; Ask a Scientist: Purifying Salt Water; Bob Trach; January 2011
• North Dakota State University; Treatment Systems for Household Water Supplies: Reverse Osmosis; Fred Bergsrud, Bruce Seelig, Russell Derickson; June 1992