Teabag Water Purifier
Gilz
With all the talk in the local press and TV lately about the poor quality of South Africa water, I thought you might enjoy meeting this man.
A South African professor has invented a hi-tech “teabag” that can purify polluted water instantly – at a cost of just three cents a litre.
The filtration system is so small it fits into the lid of a water bottle, and has already been hailed as a breakthrough in the battle against waterborne disease in poor areas.
It was developed using tiny nano-fibres – each about one hundredth the width of a human hair and packed together into a teabag-like sac that filters out microscopic bacteria. Instead of tea the nanotech bag contains activated carbon which then kills the harmful bacteria.
“Not only do we filter the bacteria out but we also kill them,” said inventor Professor Eugene Cloete, a microbiologist at the University of Stellenbosch.
He said the new technique was a major step towards helping South Africa fulfil its millennium goal of eradicating poverty.
“One of the major problems of meeting the millennium goals is that there is not sufficient infrastructure to pipe water to everybody in the world – so this really is something which addresses the need right now,” Cloete said.
The bag had already prompted several inquiries from foundations providing relief to those without running water.
“People are not dying of thirst but because they don’t have access to safe water. This is inexpensive. It would cost about three cents a litre to produce water that is the quality of bottled water,” Cloete said.
The breakthrough coincides with the launch this week of a major Stellenbosch University initiative called the
Hope Project, which hopes to combine the scientific expertise of several departments to address the country’s most pressing needs.
The university’s rector, Professor Russel Botman, said: “Whether it is renewable energy supply for the region, food security, conflict resolution and leadership or rural healthcare and development, we are looking to throw our weight behind the country and the continent’s most pressing needs.”
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Comments
post a commentHi, I am extremely interested in the 'teabag' water filter and would like to follow up this development. I represent a company in Zimbabwe that sells to the farming and rural community and I am sure this product could greatly assist them.
I would like to get/ purchase some of these to send to Zim for them to test in the field.
How do I go about making contact?
Dennis McKitrick on 26/10/2010
Hi Dennis, whats your email addy?
Wik on 27/10/2010
My understanding is that the “tea bag” filter is currently being tested by the South African Bureau of Standards.
Professor Eugene Cloete is Dean of the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University so you could perhaps try to contact him there. You could also try the HOPE project.
The Stellenbosch University Water Institute and its “tea bag” water filter form part of its HOPE Project.
Hope that helps.
Gilz on 05/11/2010
Ons is verbonde by Helpende hand solidatiteit en sal graag by ons With Kampe in George tot op Plettenbergbaai help om deyr werkloses hierdie filters te vervaardig en te bemark om mense wat nou geen werk en ook wynig denke duite die boxs weer aan die gang te kry en te hou Dankie Prof E Cloete
Pierre Botha on 19/11/2010
Interesting blog. It would be great if you can provide more details about it. Thanks a load!
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because they don’t have access to safe water. This is inexpensive. It would cost about three cents a litre to produce water that is the quality of bottled water,” Cloete
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