Student-Made Device Could Bring Clean Water to the World

[nsane.forums]

Right now there is a massive Worldwide shortage of clean drinking water. People in countries like Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Madagascar, and Haiti only have access to the dirtiest water in the world. But students from the University of Washington may have come up with a solution, and all it will cost is $3.40 each. The students, Chin Jung Cheng, Charlie Matlack, Penny Huang, and Jacqueline Linnes, took on a challenge put forth by the Bolivia-based non-profit group, Fundación SODIS to develop a method of providing clean drinking water to those who currently lack it.

The contest was promoted by InnoCentive Inc., and sponsored by the nonprofit GlobalGiving Foundation. The challenge in question involves a process known as SODIS (Solar Disinfection of water in plastic bottles), a process that removes 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses.

For SODIS, all you have to do is fill a clear plastic bottle with water and leave it in the sun for a period time; the sun's heat and ultraviolet rays will kill anything inside. Unfortunately, until now, there was no simple way of knowing when the water was purified. The SODIS device is very simple, and uses parts from a keychain that blinks when exposed to light. The device is attached to a water bottle, and it monitors the clarity inside the bottle, blinking when the light is obstructed by particles. When there are no longer particles floating around, the light stops blinking and you have 99.9 percent clean drinking water.

The simple device costs only $3.40, and with mass production and bulk purchases the price should drop even further. The Rockerfeller Foundation provided the students with a $40,000 dollar prize. Let's hope the students use it to continue their goodwill.

View: Original Article

[RadioActive]

For SODIS, all you have to do is fill a clear plastic bottle with water and leave it in the sun for a period time; the sun's heat and ultraviolet rays will kill anything inside.

Sounds too good to be true, but I'm no scientist so I wouldn't know.

But, even if it were THAT effective, it's still not enough, since cleaning waster isn't that simple. Assuming that method work as advertised it will only take care of viral and bacterial contaminants, which will still leave the issue of physical pollutants (petroleum, garbage, wastes...etc).

The method discussed in the article assumes the the waster is "clean" but not "pure", so all it does is purify it, but the fact is most water sources are both polluted AND contaminated.

[bwop]

That the Rockerfeller Institute has anything to do with this should indicate this story is bullshit.

[myidisbb]

problem was they didnt use the water from 3rd world counties. their idea of water is as ours was 100 years ago. water with dirt in it. besides someone would just complain and sue because of all the evil plastic leaching into the water.

maybe wif these 3rd world nations actually spend the money to fix the problems themselves thier people would be better off.

[DKT27]

problem was they didnt use the water from 3rd world counties. their idea of water is as ours was 100 years ago. water with dirt in it. besides someone would just complain and sue because of all the evil plastic leaching into the water.

maybe wif these 3rd world nations actually spend the money to fix the problems themselves thier people would be better off.

Did you looked into how or why the so called "3rd world nations" have such bad water or less clean places?

[myidisbb]

problem was they didnt use the water from 3rd world counties. their idea of water is as ours was 100 years ago. water with dirt in it. besides someone would just complain and sue because of all the evil plastic leaching into the water.

maybe wif these 3rd world nations actually spend the money to fix the problems themselves thier people would be better off.

Did you looked into how or why the so called "3rd world nations" have such bad water or less clean places?

they do it to themselves. most 3rd world nations are able to do a good job but dont want too. it would mean actually spending money on none miltiary items and not killing their own people.

[Lite]

BB, you are talking rubbish. Most built in areas in any country provide clean, safe drinking water (be they "rich" or even "poor"). Some areas of various nations (the USA included), provide very poor quality un-drinkable water.

I don't even know how a topic about water went onto killing people, i guess this might be the mentality of those in "more developed" areas? Lets just kill everyone? :rolleyes:

[myidisbb]

nations with sorry water and other problems are usually out killing their people too.

pastic bottles to make water clean would never work. most well and river water is full of drit and other stuff. sun light does nto clean dirt. and in anycase these pastic bottles base on what they talk about in the arictle would drink down so of its chemicals into the water too.

if you want goo ddrinking water and enough for your people then stop having so many babies. no good comes from over breeding an area.

now most of the common people in these 3rd world counties are happy with what they get. they do not know you can have water without dirt and stuff in it. standards are different in different areas.now places with dirty smelly water also tent to drink other stuff because of taste and safety. just like old middle ages in europe.

the idea that someone would put water into a bottle and cap it then want days afterwards to get it is a big no go. hot water for drinking sucks and others would jsut steal the bottles anyway

[Lite]

You are making wild accusations without any evidence to back it up.

The idea posted in the article is great, now further development is needed (as is with any idea).

[toyo]

M-m-m. Looks almost to good to be true. I hope from all my heart they manage to keep this idea away from the greedy companies, or it will mean shit. And it is still too high-priced for the target!

If you guys from "civilized" countries don't know, or want to know, in some areas of India and neighbouring countries that 3-4 USD can be all they have for a week, for a whole family. True for Africa also. And all that while the usual US citizen spends thousands on health care, because he got too fat grrr...