Diana Tran Advisor: Dr. Wayne Teel April 11, 2008

Water by the Barrel:Testing Personal Water Filtration Devices for Purifying

Contaminated Water Supplies

Diana TranAdvisor: Dr. Wayne Teel

April 11, 2008

Facts and Statistics

According to the United Nations Human Development Report:

• The lack of sanitation and safe water is currently the world’s largest cause of illness

• Millions of women and children spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources

• At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease

• Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease• The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through

disease than any war claims through guns

Vietnam

The LifeStraw® vs. The Katadyn ®

Specifications Lifestraw® Katadyn®Technology High impact polystyrene Virustat cartridge with pentaiodide (I5) iodine

  Specially developed halogen-based resin (PDR) Plastic membrane

  Granular activated carbon (GAC) Activated carbon granulate

Efficacy Effective against waterborne bacteria Eliminates bacteria, protozoa, viruses and improves taste

Capacity 700 Liters 100 Liters

Filters 3-stage particle filtration 3-phase water filter

Size 25 cm long, 2.9 cm in diameter 0.6 Liters

Weight 0.095 kg 0.22 kg

Cost $2.00 $44.95

Cost/Liter $0.003 $0.45

The LifeStraw®

• The LifeStraw ®

– A personal mobile water-purification tool designed to turn any surface water into drinking water

– Winner of INDEX: 2005 International Design Award, Well-Tech 2006 Innovation Technology Award, and Best Invention of 2005 by TIME

• First introduced to me in ISAT 350 by Dr. Chris Bachmann

Testing the LifeStraw®

Sampled from Blacks Run• Located in behind Shenandoah Bicycles in

Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Alum Treatment

KAl(SO4)2.12H2O• A compound derived from aluminum used in water purification and

wastewater treatment.• Safe and does not pose a threat to humans, water creatures, and

aquatic plants.• On contact with water, it becomes aluminum hydroxide This fluffy

substance, a “floc”, settles to the bottom. • As the floc moves through the water, it also collects other suspended

particles in the water, carrying them down to the bottom.

1 2

3 4

Results

Data for Fecal Coliform Using Quanti/Tray 2000

0

5

10

15

20

25

Lifestraw® 1 Lifestraw® 2 Alum Lifestraw® 1After Alum

Lifestraw® 2After Alum

Treatment

Mos

t Pro

babl

e N

umbe

r (c

fu/1

00 m

L)

Problems

Katadyn ®

• LifeStraw ® disappointing

• Only EPA-registered filter

• 3-phase water filter eliminates bacteria, protozoa, and viruses

Definitely Preferable

Conclusion

• The Katadyn ® preferable– The LifeStraw ® worked, but

plugged too easily• How would it measure up in

real world situations?

• Unfortunately, too expensive

• If possible, I would run samples until I found the exact lifespan

Raising Awareness at JMU

• UNICEF WEEK 2008: March 16-22• H2O: A Sanitation Issue, March 20th in Taylor 304

www.waterbythebarrel.com

Out of Curiosity…

Outer Shell

Halogenated Resin

Anion Exchange Resin

Activated Carbon

Thank You

• My advisor, Dr. Wayne Teel• My parents, Hung and Ngocdiep Tran• Vestergaard Frandsen, Inc.• Dr. Thomas Benzing and Jacob Hileman• Friends and relatives• The College of Integrated Science and

Technology at James Madison University

Questions?

ReferencesCastle, Fred'A K., and Charles Rice. "Purification of Water With Alum."

American Druggist. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://books.google.com/ books?id=bNIAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=alum+used+in+third+world+countries+to+c lean+water&source=web&ots=SG0ZOgyOLe&sig=-Rk1edKVnKlhyKiCOVEhh5FHaxY&hl=en#PPA32, M1>.

"Katadyn Filter 0.75 L." Katadyn. 2008. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://products.katadyn.com/brands-and-products/produkte/ Ultralight_Series_25/Katadyn_Bottle_075L_31.html>.

"Water Facts." WaterPartners International. 2008. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/defineEntryMLA.php>.

Water for Life Decade. 2005. United Nations. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://www.un.org/ waterforlifedecade/pdf/waterforlifebklt-e.pdf>.