SBIR Phase I: Robust Porous Ceramic Structures Enhanced With Natural Biomaterials for Water Purification

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address the problem ofa shortage of pure drinkable water by developing a new portable water purification filter coatedwith natural polymers. Initially the developed filters will be utilized for use in personal waterpurifiers, later expanding the development of the filter for use in municipal water purificationsystems. The development of this green technology based water treatment system will result in anovel water purifier that is inexpensive, fast acting, simple to use, disposable, easily used indeveloping countries, and has minimal impact on the environment. Furthermore, there would beno formation of harmful disinfection by-products.The broader/commercial impacts of this research are the provision of an inexpensive, allnatural portable water purification system that will provide good safe potable water, particularlyin third world countries. At risk drinking water can contain a variety of pathogens that caninclude heavy metals, harmful bacteria, parasitic cysts, cryptosporidium organisms and viruses.The best methods to date for removing these pathogens are UV irradiation, ozonation, andboiling/distillation, with each of these water purification techniques requiring energy and supportsystems that are not readily available for remote areas and situations. Other more portable watertreatment methods are not as effective, inconvenient, subject to failures that many times cannotbe easily detected, and/or supply poor tasting water. Therefore, there is a great need for thedevelopment of water purifiers that contain natural polymeric coatings that remove and/or killdiarrheal diseases-causing bacteria and can also remove heavy metals from water. The proposedall natural water purification system is intended to remove and/or neutralize all of these multiplewater impurity elements. An established water purification company will be a partner in thisproject so as to expedite the commercialization of this developed technology into themarketplace.