Australian researchers say the filtering properties of the sand are considerably enhanced when it is coated with a nanomaterial called graphite oxide (GO).
The team led by Dr Mainak Majumder from the Monash Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, together with researchers from Rice University in Houston, changed the structure of graphite, a material found in pencils, to dramatically increase its surface area before coating coarse grains of sand. Increasing the surface area of the sand caused a corresponding increase in the material’s ability to filter contaminants. The discovery could prove a boon to millions in developing countries dogged by water pollution. The research, published recently in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, indicated that untreated sand became saturated after ten minutes of filtration, while the GO-coated ‘super sand’ absorbed contaminants for more than 50 minutes.
About Water Borne Diseases
Waterborne diseases are communicable diseases caused by diseases causing microorganisms in contaminated water. It is more prevalent during floods and in tsunami affected areas.
Waterborne diseases are communicable diseases caused by diseases causing microorganisms in contaminated water. It is more prevalent during floods and in tsunami affected areas.
“By increasing its surface area, we’ve improved the filtering capability of sand so that it is not only more effective in removing contaminants, but still filters relatively quickly, making it a viable option for water purification.”
Dr Majumder said the other big advantage of the super sand is that it is relatively cheap to produce.
Access to clean water is a significant challenge for the global population. The WHO reports that, annually, access to safer water could prevent 1.4 million deaths from diarrhoea; 500,000 deaths from malaria and 860,000 deaths from malnutrition.
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