SBIR Phase I: Water Remediation Technology for Removal of Chemical and Biological Contaminants

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的第一阶段是开发一种廉价的被动水净化系统，该系统将从家庭和个人用水中去除化学和生物污染物。全世界都严重关切恐怖主义行为污染城市供水系统的可能性。恐怖主义行动的不确定性使得防御措施同样不确定。低成本的水净化系统对大多数生物病原体和有机污染物有效，为我们的国土防御提供了额外的资源。所提出的处理模块的被动性质使其独立于其他因素，如电力需求或水压。最初的产品，在其最小的实施方案中，被设计为便携式，以便个人或家庭可以随身携带。基于表面改性沸石吸附的单一水净化技术是最有前途的，它满足了所有的限制条件。一个关键问题是任何技术的可扩展性；随着该开发项目的完成，不仅将展示用于国土防御的初始产品，而且将为完整的自供电家庭水处理系统提供产品路径。人们普遍认为，水不可避免地正在成为世界上最宝贵的商品。无数的死亡和疾病总是与水污染有关，更不用说某些地区缺水了。联合国在教科文组织主持下发起的世界水评估方案的执行摘要：“2000年，与水卫生有关的疾病造成的估计死亡率为2,213,000人。”也就是说每15秒就有一个人。在中国，超过10亿人缺乏可接受的水资源。新闻报道记录了这样一个事实：即使没有数百万人，也有成千上万的人每天花费大量时间寻找饮用水。最近的地缘政治事件以及地方预算限制无助于改善这种情况。在第三世界地区广泛适用的低成本水净化系统将是改善数百万人健康和福祉的重要一步。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop an inexpensive, passive water purification system that will remove chemical and biological contaminants from water for home and personal use. Worldwide there is grave concern with the potential for terrorist acts to pollute municipal water systems. The uncertain nature of terrorist action makes defensive measures equally uncertain. A low cost water purification system which is effective against most biological pathogens and organic contaminates provides an additional resource to our homeland defenses. The passive nature of the proposed treatment module makes it independent of other factors such as power requirements or water pressure. The initial product, in its smallest embodiment, is designed to be portable so that a person or family can take it wherever circumstances may dictate. The most promising single water purification technology, which meets all of the constraints, is one based on surface modified zeolite adsorption. A key issue is the scalability of any technology; with the completion of this development project, a demonstration not only of the initial product for homeland defense but a product path to a complete self-powered home water treatment system will be made.It is widely accepted that inevitably water is becoming the world's most precious commodity. Innumerable deaths and diseases are constantly linked to polluted water, not to mention the lack of water in certain locales. From the executive summary of the World Water Assessment Program sponsored by the United Nations under UNESCO: "In 2000, the estimated mortality rate due to water sanitation hygiene-associated diseases, was 2,213,000." That calculates to one person every 15 seconds. In China, over one billion people lack acceptable water resources. News reports chronicle the fact that thousands if not millions of people spend a significant portion of their day seeking potable water. Recent geopolitical events as well as local budgetary constraints are doing nothing to improve the situation. A low cost water purification system, which has broad applicability in third world regions, would be a major step in improving the health and well being of millions of people.