Development of Composite Ceramic - Silver and Red Mud Water Filters to Control Biological and Arsenic Contamination in Drinking Water

Faculty:

Countries:

Sponsors:

  • Duke Global Health Institute

Collaborators:

  • Shiv Nadar University

Start Date:

End Date:

  • Ongoing

Development of Composite Ceramic - Silver and Red Mud Water Filters to Control Biological and Arsenic Contamination in Drinking Water

Low cost technologies to monitor, treat, and/or prevent water contamination are critical means to improve the health of billions of people in less developed countries. On the Indian continent, contamination of drinking water with pathogens of fecal origin and with arsenic is a serious health concern. In this collaborative project, we propose to develop composite ceramic/red mud/silver-based water filtration systems for the removal of arsenic and microorganisms in drinking water. At first, we aim to conduct a meta analysis of the red mud and ceramic filters to fully document the potential scope, opportunities and limits of such filters as well as establishing a track record of our collaboration. Secondly, we will fabricate new composite ceramic/red mud/colloidal silver water filters. The properties of the composites will be characterized thoroughly and the performance of the filters will be investigated to determine the effects of the inherent red mud composition, silver and manufacturing process parameters on the properties of the filters, namely water flow, efficacy of disinfection of key indicator pathogen organisms, and removal of arsenic. Finally, a detailed cost analysis for mass producing filtration units will be performed, possible field trials will be explored with a key partner and external grants to support follow-on studies will be pursued. An additional objective of the proposal will be to bring together two research groups who have not worked together before, and build on this collaborative research to enhance connections between Engineering and Global Health at Duke University and the Natural Sciences at Shiv Nadar University.

Last updated on January 10, 2018