Scientists at the University of Texas have developed a hydrogel tablet that can purify a litre of river water and make it suitable for drinking in an hour or less.
Contaminated water is linked to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, hepatitis A and dysentery. According to WHO, over 2 billion people use a drinking water source that has been contaminated with faeces, while about 785 million people don’t have a basic drinking water service, including 144 million that rely on surface water. Half the world’s population could live in water-stressed areas by 2025. Finding a solution to this problem could save and improve the lives of millions of people.
The hydrogel tablet generates hydrogen peroxide to neutralise bacteria at an efficiency rate of more than 99.999%. The hydrogen peroxide works with activated carbon particles to attack essential cell components of bacteria and disrupt their metabolism. The process requires zero energy input and doesn’t create harmful by-products. The tablets can easily be removed, and don’t leave any residue.
The team is working to improve the hydrogel tablets by increasing the different types of pathogens and viruses in water that they can neutralise.
Picture Credit : Google
