Michael Pritchard's water filter turns filthy water that contains viruses drinkable

Imagine the smallest bacteria (Tuberculosis Bacteria) size is 200nm (nanometer). And the smallest virus (Polio Virus) is about 25nm. But this Lifesaver water filter's pore is just 15nm. So even the smallest bacteria and smallest virus can't get through.

During the twin tragedies of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, Ipswich water-treatment expert Michael Pritchard winced helplessly at televised coverage of throngs of refugees waiting for days for a simple drink of clean water. Stricken by the chronic failure of aid agencies to surmount this basic challenge, Pritchard decided to do something about it.

Using a non-chemical nano-filtration hollow fiber membrane with 15 nanometer pores (it is designed to block viruses), the Lifesaver bottle can make the most revolting swamp water drinkable in seconds. Better still, a single long-lasting filter can clean 6,000 liters of water. Given the astronomical cost of shipping water to disaster areas, Pritchard's Lifesaver bottle could turn traditional aid models on their heads.

Source - TED

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