TPU scientists found a cheap way to purify water by waste products

TOMSK, Feb 25 – RIA Tomsk.  Scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) suggested to make of sand, corals or waste products of building materials cheap means for water purification from arsenic which is hazardous, but contains in potable water in many regions of Russia and the world, the press-service of the university informed on Thursday.

"Arsenic in water –is the problem for many countries: India, China, the USA, Argentina, Chile, Poland, Hungary and others. In the Russian Federation it's urgent <…> in Transbaikalian, Khabarovsk, Perm, Stavropol krais, Magadan, Penza region, in Dagestan, Tuva. Our technology allows any country to find a cheap material of which it is possible to do a sorbent", – words of the project's head Michael Haskelberg are given in the message.

It is noticed that within the frameworks of experiment politehnics managed to clear about 18 thousand glasses of water with 200 gramms of the means which cost for the consumer would be about 100 roubles. Concentration of arsenic in water was 50 times higher than the norm established by the World Health Organization. The technology is suitable both for drinking and for technical water.

It is specified that resembling sorbents are already present in the world market, but they are more expensive. So, one of the leading means Bayoxide® E 33 costs about 27 dollars per kilogram, Tomsk substance will cost 4-5 dollars. Polytechnics said means can be restored and used again up to 10 times.

According to TPU, to make a cheap and effective sorbent allows the using of simple technologies. "Scientists use chemical adsorption when polluting particles settle on a sorbent surface. Also the electrokinetic adsorption is using, at which positively charged ions of heavy metals are drawn to negatively charged surface of a sorbent", – explained in the university.

It is added that as raw materials can be used sand, corals, waste from brick manufacture, aerated concrete and other substances. TPU scientists have already submitted an application for patenting the technology and are looking for partners who would help implement the development.