Transcript Water by the Barrel: Testing Personal Water Filtration

Water by the Barrel:
Testing Personal Water Filtration Devices for Purifying
Contaminated Water Supplies
Diana Tran
Advisor: Dr. Wayne Teel
April 11, 2008
Facts and Statistics
According to the United Nations Human Development Report:
• The lack of sanitation and safe water is currently the world’s
largest cause of illness
• Millions of women and children spend several hours a day
collecting water from distant, often polluted sources
• At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are
occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease
• Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease
• The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through
disease than any war claims through guns
Vietnam
The LifeStraw® vs. The Katadyn ®
Specifications
Technology
Lifestraw®
Katadyn®
High impact polystyrene
Virustat cartridge with pentaiodide (I5) iodine
Specially developed halogen-based resin (PDR)
Plastic membrane
Granular activated carbon (GAC)
Activated carbon granulate
Efficacy
Effective against waterborne bacteria
Eliminates bacteria, protozoa, viruses and improves taste
Capacity
700 Liters
100 Liters
Filters
3-stage particle filtration
3-phase water filter
Size
25 cm long, 2.9 cm in diameter
0.6 Liters
Weight
0.095 kg
0.22 kg
Cost
$2.00
$44.95
Cost/Liter
$0.003
$0.45
The LifeStraw®
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The LifeStraw ®
– A personal mobile
water-purification tool
designed to turn any
surface water into
drinking water
– Winner of INDEX: 2005
International Design
Award, Well-Tech 2006
Innovation Technology
Award, and Best
Invention of 2005 by
TIME
First introduced to me in
ISAT 350 by Dr. Chris
Bachmann
Testing the LifeStraw®
Sampled from Blacks Run
• Located in behind Shenandoah Bicycles in
Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Alum Treatment
KAl(SO4)2.12H2O
• A compound derived from aluminum used in water purification and
wastewater treatment.
• Safe and does not pose a threat to humans, water creatures, and
aquatic plants.
• On contact with water, it becomes aluminum hydroxide This fluffy
substance, a “floc”, settles to the bottom.
• As the floc moves through the water, it also collects other
suspended particles in the water, carrying them down to the
bottom.
1
2
3
4
Results
Most Probable Number
(cfu/100 mL)
Data for Fecal Coliform Using Quanti/Tray 2000
25
20
15
10
5
0
Lifestraw® 1
Lifestraw® 2
Alum
Treatment
Lifestraw® 1
After Alum
Lifestraw® 2
After Alum
Problems
Katadyn ®
• LifeStraw ®
disappointing
• Only EPA-registered
filter
• 3-phase water filter
eliminates bacteria,
protozoa, and viruses
Definitely Preferable
Conclusion
• The Katadyn ® preferable
– The LifeStraw ® worked, but
plugged too easily
• How would it measure up in
real world situations?
• Unfortunately, too
expensive
• If possible, I would run
samples until I found the
exact lifespan
Raising Awareness at JMU
• UNICEF WEEK 2008: March 16-22
• H2O: A Sanitation Issue, March 20th in Taylor 304
www.waterbythebarrel.com
Out of Curiosity…
Outer Shell
Halogenated Resin
Anion Exchange Resin
Activated Carbon
Thank You
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My advisor, Dr. Wayne Teel
My parents, Hung and Ngocdiep Tran
Vestergaard Frandsen, Inc.
Dr. Thomas Benzing and Jacob Hileman
Friends and relatives
The College of Integrated Science and
Technology at James Madison University
Questions?
References
Castle, Fred'A K., and Charles Rice. "Purification of Water With Alum."
American Druggist. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://books.google.com/
books?id=bNIAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=alum+used+in+thir
d+world+countries+to+c
lean+water&source=web&ots=SG0ZOgyOLe&sig=Rk1edKVnKlhyKiCOVEhh5FHaxY&hl=en#PPA32,
M1>.
"Katadyn Filter 0.75 L." Katadyn. 2008. 12 Mar. 2008
<http://products.katadyn.com/brands-and-products/produkte/
Ultralight_Series_25/Katadyn_Bottle_075L_31.html>.
"Water Facts." WaterPartners International. 2008. 12 Mar. 2008
<http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/defineEntryMLA.php>.
Water for Life Decade. 2005. United Nations. 12 Mar. 2008
<http://www.un.org/
waterforlifedecade/pdf/waterforlifebklt-e.pdf>.