Filter cartridges purify the water from most taps
CategoriesSustainable News

Filter cartridges purify the water from most taps

Spotted: By 2050, analysts expect global demand for water to outstrip supply by nearly 60 per cent. And ageing infrastructure makes it difficult for cities to use the latest technologies to store and distribute potable water. One potential solution to the very complex problem of providing communities with clean, fresh water is to filter what is available. 

Tunisian greentech company Dracoss has built a purifier that attaches to most types of taps and works without electricity, making it accessible to organisations with limited financial means. The ceramic filter cartridges last for three to six months, and the filtering process can be turned off to allow unfiltered water to run through the system as a means of extending the life of the cartridge.

The tap water filter captures every contaminant that is 0.3 microns in size or larger, which includes sediment, rust, parasites, and algae. Dracoss’ design includes activated carbon granules to improve the taste of the filtered water, and the system is easy to install. The company provides both an installation and maintenance video for support in installing the filter and changing the cartridge.

For larger organisations, Dracoss also offers a greywater recycling machine that cleans used water from dishwashers, baths, sinks and more. The recycled water is clean enough for use in laundry, toilets, and irrigation. The system can reduce overall water consumption by up to 50 per cent.

As well as filters and greywater recycling, Dracoss also provides educational seminars on water scarcity and various solutions, and the company ships internationally.  

From small-scale, plug-and-play water sanitation systems to off-grid nanogrids that provide solar power as well as clean water, innovations in Springwise’s library demonstrate the diversity of solutions needed for this intricate world challenge.   

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Using biotech to purify water and recover valuable waterborne materials
CategoriesSustainable News

Using biotech to purify water and recover valuable waterborne materials

Spotted: Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene are essential for health and well-being. Yet billions of people still lack access to these basic needs. On top of this, demand for water is rising due to population growth, urbanisation, and increasing water demands from sources such as agriculture, industry, and energy. But water purification and recovery can be expensive, requiring a great deal of energy, which can, in turn, lead to carbon emissions.

Now, Swedish company Retein has developed a new technology for energy-efficient and high-purity water separation. This has the potential to reduce the cost of recovering clean water while having a lower impact on the environment than traditional methods. The method was initially developed as a PhD project at Chalmers University of Technology.

The technology utilises a channel protein called aquaporin. Channel proteins provide gateways across the cell membrane, allowing water, nutrients, and other resources to move in and out. Retein has developed a new class of aquaporin capsules that are purified and stabilised by silica. These capsules are then incorporated into conventional polymer membranes to allow water to move rapidly across the separation membrane, with very little input of energy.

Not only could Retein’s aquaporins be used to filter water, but also to filter out other materials, potentially allowing the recovery of substances such as lithium from water. Because the aquaporins have been stabilised, they could easily be used as an additive to various kinds of filters on a wide range of scales.

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events – including drought and flooding. This is making the need for sustainable water purification more urgent than ever. Luckily, Springwise is spotting a number of innovations in this space. These include a membrane coating that could make filtration cheaper and greener, and a modular wastewater treatment system driven by sunlight and water movement.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference