Title : Iodine-doped activated carbon as innovative tool for water sanitation and treatment
Abstract:
Access to safe drinking waters is essential to health. Contaminated water can carry various hazardous agents, from pathogens to contaminants (both inorganic and organic), resulting in a wide span of diseases ranging from diarrhea to serious problems such as increased risk of cancer. Sometimes, the hazard has a natural origin, so it is not the result of lack of hygiene; it is the case of arsenic, that can naturally occur in groundwater as a consequence of particular geological conditions.
Water are routinely analyzed by local administrations in developed countries. However, in order to ensure that drinking water standards are met, treatment is sometimes necessary (such as removal of arsenic in the area where it naturally occurs). Moreover, due to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, safe water may be unavailable or may become suddenly contaminated.
Above all, special attention must be paid for the developing countries, where the low wealth conditions strongly restrict access to efficient and advanced sanitation and treatment technologies.
An ideal water treatment technology should be effective and easy to use, in order to be applicable in any area and conditions. To meet such requirements, we propose an innovative technology based on iodine-doped activated carbons (IodAC). The iodine can inactivate human viruses and kill bacteria, assuring a sanitation power. In addition, the oxidizing power of IodAC promotes the conversion of the water dissolved arsenite to arsenate, which is the arsenic chemical form easiest trapped by adsorber beds (that have proven to be the most reliable and easiest dearsenification method). Iron-based adsorbents have low cost and offer promising results for arsenic removal; therefore, the water treatment by IodAC followed by iron-impregnated activated carbon, combined in a top-down system, represents a well-organized and complete solution for water purification (Fig. 1). In addition, the solid shape of IodAC also assures easy handling, transport and also safety, since the use and dosage of potentially harmful chemicals (such as NaClO or Chlorine) is not necessary.
IodAC can be both implemented in small-scale and large-scale water treatment plants. It can also be used to manufacture portable and emergency treatment devices, including “on the fly” water sanitizing cartridges, therefore it also suits applications in remote areas and developing areas.
What will audience learn from your presentation?
- Iodine-doped activated carbons can be used to produce safe drinking waters.
- Iodine-doped activated carbons can be used to reduce the reduce the spread of waterborne diseases.
- Iodine-doped activated carbons can be used in developing countries and in emergency scenario management (such as natural disaster area).
