COLLOIDAL SILVER ENHANCED CERAMIC WATER FILTER: AIDING IN THE WATER CRISIS

On a global scale, water-borne diseases are a direct cause of 2 million annual deaths as the only accessible drinking water is contaminated for 1.8 billion people [1]. Multiple organizations, such as UNICEF, , WHO, and Potters for Peace, have attempted to alleviate this profound inadequacy of potable water for so many. Often, water filtration systems at the point of source of the water are less effective and more economically burdensome. More current research shows that improvements in technology will lead to more affordable at-home, or point-of-use, water treatment systems [2]. The use of ceramic water filters, aided by colloidal silver for bacterial removal, have shown effectiveness in removing total coliforms and E. coli at 87% and 92%, respectively [3]. Ceramic filters constructed in a concave form are categorized as Gravity Driven Membranes (GDM), meaning there is no outside source of energy other than gravity acting upon the filter. This type of gravity-driven filtration is one of the leading differences in cost effectiveness when comparing point-of-source and point-of-use water filters. UNICEF sources put this type of ceramic filter at $20.00 per family [4]. According to Lansdown, silver has been used for purification of water for more than 2,000 years. Additionally, research shows that “increased penetration of silver into the bacterial cell... leads to bacterial cell death” [Lansdown, 2010, p. 148]. The cost and effectiveness of colloidal silver enhanced ceramic water filters utilizing a GMD shows significant promise as a dependable point-of-use water filter for those facing the water crisis. An at-home test run of this water filter has demonstrated an ease to its creation and use. With a background in ceramics, it was fairly simple to add sawdust to the clay to increase porosity and therefore, the filtration abilities of the vessel. After filtering a few rounds of water from an unfiltered, outdoor source, a multimeter test proved the cleanliness of the water. Additional nitrate, nitrite, and at-home water bacterial tests also proved to show the success of the filter. At an approximation of $20.00 per family, it’s clear these simple filters are able to efficiently and effectively filter water with very little energy input.