Domestic water purification paper-new development

Water borne infectious diseases are a major scourge in many developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The problem becomes acute when it comes to rural areas where access to clean water is an exception rather than a rule. A typical human being need about a liter of water for drinking every day and providing this to the citizen is the bounden duty and responsibility of any independent nation. Look at India itself which boasts itself as an economic power close on the heels China with an annual per capita GDP of Rs 72000 per year. But even after 68 years of independence from Britain the country's governing class has not been able to set up necessary infrastructure for supplying protected water to its citizens. Though most towns and cities have democratically elected administering bodies, they are all conspicuous by their neglect of the well being of the citizens residing within their areas. The water supply system is so archaic and under performing that average citizens do not repose much confidence on the safety of water made available sporadically for a couple of hours a day! Imagine the situation in the rural hinterlands where water sources are scarce, most depending on ground water supplied through single outlet at a common place. Water is never treated exposing the population, already with compromised health conditions, to a number of pathogens which can wreak havoc and health damage to them. If boiling water can sanitize the water, shortage and high cost of fuel for achieving the same in these poverty ridden areas is very difficult. Probably same situation exists in hundreds of other poor countries grappling with this huge human problem. Against such a background, development of a low cost water purification gadget is a welcome news indeed. Read further to understand and appreciate this innovative gadget called Drinkable Book.  

"For people in developing nations or rural locations, getting clean water may soon be as simple as opening a book and ripping a page out. That's the idea behind The Drinkable Book, developed by Carnegie Mellon University postdoc Theresa Dankovich. Each of its pages is made from a thick sheet of paper impregnated with silver and copper nanoparticles, that kill 99.9 percent of microbes in tainted water that's filtered through it. Dankovich began work on the technology when she was earning her doctorate at McGill University, continuing it at the University of Virginia's Center for Global Health. She has now formed a non-profit company, pAge Drinking Paper, to get the book into production and distribution. Every page of the book is made up of two filters, each one of which in turn being capable of cleaning up to 26 US gallons (100 liters) of water – one book should reportedly be able to handle one person's water needs for four years. After the filter is removed from the book, it's placed in an included box-like holder which is then mounted on top of a 5-gallon bucket. The dirty water is then poured through."

Some time average denizen cannot help thinking that the governments are not serious about clean water supply because of its involvement with vested interests. To day bottled water market is so huge, making billions of rupees of profit for the industry, that continuing the present situation with just nominal progress in this sector suits the class of politicians, bureaucrats and the industry! Since drinking from a bottle of water is becoming a status symbol, those who can afford, seem to have no complaint either. It is the poor man who suffers with no end in sight to his travail. Though the Carnegie University innovation is a  breakthrough when it comes to eradication of water borne diseases, the million dollar question is whether national governments will be serious in promoting manufacture of Drinking Books in adequate numbers and make them available in the vast rural hinterlands of the country. Probably  this innovation will be relegated to a few honest and sincere voluntary organizations to promote which may not create much impact at national level.      

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

Recycling of plastics-New approach to save water and energy

To day's world cannot live without plastics as practically every walk of life is associated with use of one or the other plastic material. Out of the 300 million tons production of plastics of different types world wide, about one third is used for packing,  rest being channeled into a variety of products like tubes, pipes, structural parts, sheets, containers etc. In India more than 40% goes for packaging including that for protecting foods. As they are derived from non-renewable fossil fuels, man must be wondering whether his head-on rushing into massive use of plastics will prove to be a folly, considering that world was using for centuries traditional materials like metal, glass, ceramics, wood etc all of which are readily recyclable endlessly and with relative ease, besides being renewable in nature. Plastics, which are high molecular organic molecules are impervious to water and are not degradable in nature for hundreds of years. Recycling of plastics can be done by just melting it after sorting and cleaning at relatively low temperatures but there is a limit as to how many times it can be recycled as its property is adversely affected after recycling. Conventional recycling involves use of high quantity of water and lot of energy, both at a premium in countries like India. A new technology reported from Mexico claims that the water consumption and energy use can be significantly reduced making the recycled plastic.cheaper. Here is a take on this new development.    

"Mexican startup Ak Inovex has developed a 'Greener' plastic recycling uses no water and only half the energy  At the same time, it produces plastic pellets of equal or better quality,  resulting in an environmentally friendlier process that also promises to be significantly cheaper. Plastic recycling can turn discarded bottles and other scrap into a myriad of useful objects, helping produce anything from polyester clothes to 3D printing filaments and even diesel. However, it is a long, laborious affair that consumes plenty of resources  –  especially water. Among other things, the plastic needs to be thoroughly washed to get rid of impurities, carefully dehydrated inside an oven, and then water-cooled once again as the newly-formed plastic filaments are cut into small pellets. According to Marco Adame, the new method that his startup has come up with can produce pellets of equal or better quality using just half of the energy by getting rid of the need for these temperature extremes, while also doing away with the need for water altogether. The system uses special walls that, on contact, are able to both mold the plastic into the desired pellet shape and cool those pellets at the same time. The energy-demanding dehydration process, which involves temperatures of around 180° C (360° F), had been a necessity so far because, after being washed, the plastic molecules would otherwise attract water to themselves and prevent the plastic from crystallizing properly. Being able to process scrap plastic without water has therefore simplified things considerably. Adame says that using his technique, the same machines are able to process styrofoam, polystyrene and ABS, which together make up about 90 percent of all plastics. The improved versatility would mean less space would be needed for operation."

Limitation vis-a-vis plastic recycling does not lie in technology but logistical problems associated with segregating different plastics from the garbage for channeling them to different recycling systems. There are at least two dozens of plastics in common use and they come to the garbage dump mixed with organic and biological waste and this restricts the extent of plastic recycling to less than 5% of total used through out the world, the figure varying from country to country. Increased use of plastic wastes for energy generation is another encouraging development that will remove more and more of these naturally indestructible man-made material from the environment. Comparing to paper which is recycled to the extent of 80% plastics will have to go a long way to remove the tag it has earned as "chokers" for its role in contaminating oceans and river bodies, bringing about destruction of natural aquatic creatures.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

Paper from plastics! An environment friendly technology

A new technology called Cronology developed in Mexico seems to be headed for adoption by the paper industry which is being criticized by the environmentalist for massive deforestation in obtaining their input materials. An indirect beneficiary will be the plastic waste recycling industry which seeks to reduce the environment pollution through reprocessing the plastic waste into useful products. While recycling does help in getting a temporary reprieve in terms of pollution, ultimately plastics end up in landfills staying there for more than 800 years without getting degraded. The paper obtained by the new technology is claimed to be photodegradable decomposing within 6 months. Here is a take on this exciting technological development about which lot will be heard in the coming years.

"A group of young entrepreneurs from Mexico has developed a system that converts PET bottles into mineral paper and which they claim will save up to 20 trees and 56,000 liters of water per ton of paper produced. The photodegradable, waterproof paper can be used to print books, boxes and general stationery. "By not cutting trees, nor using water we reduce costs and help the planet," says Ever Adrian Nava, cofounder of the Cronology company, located in Ecatepec, a municipality in Mexico State, just north from Mexico City. The Cronology process is claimed to be 15 percent cheaper than traditional paper manufacture because it doesn't use chemicals, like chlorine, or water. Although countries like Spain and Taiwan already use similar processes to manufacture mineral paper (also known as peta paper or stone paper), its developers say the Cronology system is four times cheaper than conventional methods. The original idea for this type of paper is to reduce production costs and deforestation. Mexico currently produces 700,000 tons of paper each year, mostly for books and notebooks, but also for wrapping papers and toilet paper. Ever Nava says that producing one ton of traditional paper has an effect on the environment for 100 years, but that mineral paper eliminates that, with 235 kg (518 lb) of pellets, or PET beads, obtained using recycled plastic bottles, calcium carbonate and stone, capable of producing a ton of the mineral paper. "The mineral paper is stronger than the standard, you can not break it with your hands, it is waterproof, has the quality of being photodegradable and only absorbs the necessary amount of ink when printing," says Ever Nava. Recycled plastic bottles are first crushed with various pieces of calcium carbon to form pellets (plastic beads), which are then subjected to a casting process at over a 100° C (212° F), before being rolled to form large sheets of paper. The paper degrades in just six months, with the company saying the only downside is that ink gels can't be used on it because they contain alcohol, which the paper does not support."

What is more interesting is the water saved by this process in making high quality paper compared to traditional paper making from wood. Already forests are being denuded in South America massively for planting Palm plants for oil. Demand for palm oil, one of the cheapest oils in the world is literally exploding because of its dual utility as a food ingredient as well as a fossil fuel substitute. PET, also known as polyester, is chemically Polyethylene Terephthalate and world produces about 25 million tons annually out of which only 30% is used for bottle production remaining going into textile industry. Also known as Dacron or Terylene or Lavasa, fabrics made from PET are extraordinarily strong and crease resistant. The new technology to convert PET into paper can thus be a large industry capable of solving one of the most vexing issues facing mankind viz disposing of 25 million tons of PET into useful products with excellent environmental credentials. Another beauty is that the technology uses comparatively lower temperatures, about 100C while for recycling it has to be done at temperatures beyond 250C. Thus PET paper production technology can be a win-win situation for all the stake holders connected with PET industry.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com