Abstract
Ballast is used in boats and ships to provide resistance against the lateral forces on the sail. Ballasting and de-ballasting are the processes that are performed upon loading and unloading of the ships. The taken water from one port should be released in another to maintain the required balance and operation safety, but it can potentially impose serious threads on the environment alteration and spread of infectious diseases. In order to prevent such harmful influences, ballast water should be treated before it is released in a new location to make sure that the organisms are killed and inactivated. One of the methods for treating the ballast water is to use oxidants that are generated using electrodialysis cells. These cells consist of two electrodes acting as anode and cathode and a membrane in between which is either exchanging ions or separating gas from liquid. The seawater is electrolyte. There are a number of challenges associated with this method which includes materials selection and cell design. This report will summarizes some of the challenges and whenever relevant, proposes advancement or new approaches based on the findings.
