This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop an inexpensive, passive water purification system that will remove chemical and biological contaminants from water for home and personal use. Worldwide there is grave concern with the potential for terrorist acts to pollute municipal water systems. The uncertain nature of terrorist action makes defensive measures equally uncertain. A low cost water purification system which is effective against most biological pathogens and organic contaminates provides an additional resource to our homeland defenses. The passive nature of the proposed treatment module makes it independent of other factors such as power requirements or water pressure. The initial product, in its smallest embodiment, is designed to be portable so that a person or family can take it wherever circumstances may dictate. The most promising single water purification technology, which meets all of the constraints, is one based on surface modified zeolite adsorption. A key issue is the scalability of any technology; with the completion of this development project, a demonstration not only of the initial product for homeland defense but a product path to a complete self-powered home water treatment system will be made.
It is widely accepted that inevitably water is becoming the world's most precious commodity. Innumerable deaths and diseases are constantly linked to polluted water, not to mention the lack of water in certain locales. From the executive summary of the World Water Assessment Program sponsored by the United Nations under UNESCO: "In 2000, the estimated mortality rate due to water sanitation hygiene-associated diseases, was 2,213,000." That calculates to one person every 15 seconds. In China, over one billion people lack acceptable water resources. News reports chronicle the fact that thousands if not millions of people spend a significant portion of their day seeking potable water. Recent geopolitical events as well as local budgetary constraints are doing nothing to improve the situation. A low cost water purification system, which has broad applicability in third world regions, would be a major step in improving the health and well being of millions of people.
