A low-cost coating applied to sand could provide a source of wide-scale water purification to people in developing countries, saving millions of lives every year.
Sand, an abundant natural resource, has been used to clean polluted water for six millennia. Filtration using sand in its natural form is endorsed by the World Health Organization as a water purification process.
Researchers have significantly enhanced the natural filtering properties of sand by coating it with a nanomaterial called graphite oxide (GO).
“By increasing its surface area, we’ve improved the filtering capability of sand so that it is not only more effective in removing contaminants, but still filters relatively quickly, making it a viable option for water purification,” researcher Dr Mainak Majumder.
Read more at Monash University