American scientists have developed a non-toxic powder that perfectly disinfects water when it comes into contact with sunlight. Ultimately, this could be a practical solution for many people who still do not have access to drinking water in their daily lives.
It is researchers from Stanford University and the SLAC laboratory under the United States Department of Energy who are developing this amazing solution. This is a non-toxic powder that, when exposed to sunlight, disinfects the water, making it perfectly drinkable.
This powder consists of nanoscale flakes of aluminum oxide, molybdenum sulfide, copper and iron oxide and is able to kill thousands of bacteria per second when exposed to sunlight.
The aim is therefore to be able to disinfect water very quickly and effortlessly, since these materials are relatively inexpensive and, above all, very plentiful. What is actually innovative is their devastating effect in contact with one another. This non-toxic process competes with other solutions, sometimes more dangerous, in particular water treatment based on chemical products, sometimes more tedious, such as ultraviolet light.
To demonstrate the effect of this solution, the scientists experimented with it in a water sample that was contaminated with one million E. coli bacteria per milliliter. The experiment took place in direct sunlight and after diluting the powder, it took just 60 seconds for no live bacteria to be detected. If you don’t immediately find bacteria to oxidize, the different elements of this powder break down into water and oxygen and are thus eliminated in a few seconds. Note that the chemical by-products generated by sunlight also evaporate very quickly. The water can therefore be drunk without hesitation.
After. coli, the researchers plan to test this new powder on other pathogens, including viruses and parasites that cause serious illness. If such a solution were one day developed on a large scale, starting with water treatment plants, it would be a revolutionary advance. It is estimated that more than two billion people around the world currently have no access to drinking water.
The results of their initial research were published in Nature Water.