Algae-based water filter may save lives
Algae can be processed into cellulose fibres. These can be used as water filters to remove bacteria and viruses from drinking water and prevent deadly diseases.
The availability of clean drinking water is a constant problem in Bangladesh, where over 15 million people live in extreme poverty. The high population density, lacking hygiene conditions and lack of clean water increase the risk of waterborne diseases. Only in the cities of Dhaka and Chittagong is piped drinking water widely available and even there only for a few hours a day. Leaky pipes mean that even this water may still be contaminated with lethal disease agents.
Now teams from the university of Uppsala in Sweden and the university of Dhaka have shown that a local, currently unexploited species of green macroalgae can be used to create cellulose nano-fibers. These can be processed into water filters of varying pore size, which are used for point-of-use water processing.
The scientists believe that the paper filters made from pithophora algae will be an affordable and efficient method, to prevent many deadly waterborne diseases. In field tests, the algae remove up to 99.999% of viruses, spores and bacteria.
“Access to clean water will contribute strongly to improved health thus reducing poverty. We are optimistic that through future development of devices the filter paper produced from the locally growing algae will be useful to prevent potentially deadly water-borne diseases and improve the quality of life for millions of people” says Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, Honorary Professor at University of Dhaka and project coordinator in Bangladesh.
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