The lack of access to clean water is a major problem in 3rd world countries around the globe, as thousands of people die of drink-water related deseases. The latest developments in nano-technology though may soon provide the answer to this problem: a new tea-bag water filter has been developed that can kill all the bacteria present in water, while the activated carbon removes any chemical contaminants. It is designed to fit in the neck of a standard sized bottle.
"The easiest way to visualize our filter is to think of a normal tea bag," said professor Cloete of Stellenbosch University, the inventor of this filter. "The outside of the bag is coated in a polymer that includes a biocide, which means that it both filters water and kills bacteria. We haven't yet come across a bacteria it can't kill."
Each tea bag can only filter one liter of water, so a family may need to use many bags per day. But at a cost of 1 to 5 cents/filter (depending on the quality of water being filtered) it is still very affordable. "It's easy to remember: one bag, one liter." said Cloete. The entire contraption is biodegradable and its inventors even claim that the activated carbon filling is a good soil conditioner.
Although even a low-cost could be an issue for those living on a dollar a day, or less, Professor Cloete believes that a small surcharge to sales in the West could help subsidize costs in the developing world. "The top end can sponsor the bottom end, and by paying this people could make a difference to millions," he said.
Professor Cloete is currently working with machine manufacturers in the Czech Republic and hopes to have a mass-market version available this month.
According to the UN's World Health Organization lack of clean water and sanitation kills 1.6 million children each year. Currently, diarrhea is still one of the leading causes of death for children under 5, which sounds incredible for the 21st century, but sadly it's true.
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ydPMl7hOtA
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Japan: Increased radioactive levels in tap water in Tokyo
The latest control shows increased radioactive levels in both running water and food products!
A radioactive iodine level above the legal limit allowed for infants has been detected in tap water in the 35 million people metropolis located 250 kilometers South-West of the Fukushima nuclear plant, announced authorities on Wednesday.
A city official said that a iodine concentration of 210 becquerel per kilogram was found in samples taken from running water, while the limit set by the Japanese for babies is only 100 becquerel.
Also Wednesday, the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged people not to consume vegetables, especially spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, where abnormal levels of radioactivity have been detected. He temporarily banned the sale of green vegetables from Fukushima and raw milk and parsley coming from Ibaraki.
Radioactive substances in quantities greater than legal norms have been detected in 11 types of vegetables in areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, announced the Japanese Ministry of Health.
A level of 82.000 becquerel radiocaesium - 164 times the legal limit - was measured in leaves of some vegetables from Motomiya, a village in Fukushima Prefecture, together with a level of radioactive iodine of 15.000 becquerel, seven times higher than the limit, according to the ministry.
If a person consumed 100 grams of contaminated vegetables each day for ten days, this would amount to half the radiation level to which a person shhould ever be exposed during a year, the ministry said.
Fear of a major contamination of fish and seafood has intensified Tuesday after the discovery of an abnormally high level of radioactive substances in seawater near the Fukushima plant.
The United States stopped the import of food products from the 4 prefectures surrounding the nuclear plant. France in turn asked the European Commission to impose a "systematic control" of the imports of fresh products from Japan at the EU borders.
A radioactive iodine level above the legal limit allowed for infants has been detected in tap water in the 35 million people metropolis located 250 kilometers South-West of the Fukushima nuclear plant, announced authorities on Wednesday.
A city official said that a iodine concentration of 210 becquerel per kilogram was found in samples taken from running water, while the limit set by the Japanese for babies is only 100 becquerel.
Also Wednesday, the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged people not to consume vegetables, especially spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, where abnormal levels of radioactivity have been detected. He temporarily banned the sale of green vegetables from Fukushima and raw milk and parsley coming from Ibaraki.
Radioactive substances in quantities greater than legal norms have been detected in 11 types of vegetables in areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, announced the Japanese Ministry of Health.
A level of 82.000 becquerel radiocaesium - 164 times the legal limit - was measured in leaves of some vegetables from Motomiya, a village in Fukushima Prefecture, together with a level of radioactive iodine of 15.000 becquerel, seven times higher than the limit, according to the ministry.
If a person consumed 100 grams of contaminated vegetables each day for ten days, this would amount to half the radiation level to which a person shhould ever be exposed during a year, the ministry said.
Fear of a major contamination of fish and seafood has intensified Tuesday after the discovery of an abnormally high level of radioactive substances in seawater near the Fukushima plant.
The United States stopped the import of food products from the 4 prefectures surrounding the nuclear plant. France in turn asked the European Commission to impose a "systematic control" of the imports of fresh products from Japan at the EU borders.
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