Scientific design of potable water filter for the rural masses by using textile fibrous media

Abstract

One of the possible approaches to remove the Pseudomonas bacteria from surface water by using textile fibrous media has been studied in this article. The attachment of Pseudomonas bacteria inside textile fibrous media was studied using laboratory column experiment. Physicochemical parameters i.e. pH, salt concentration, type of fiber and fiber orientation are taken into account to optimize the amount of fiber mass in a given volume (porosity) and then designed a standard filter bed for long column experiment. After that life cycle and reusability of the filter media are determined on long column experiment by using optimized physicochemical data. It is found that the design filter bed can also achieve 94 % removal efficiency up to 10 litres of water. Same media material can be reused after hot washing and shows nearly same removal efficiency when compared with the virgin media. Furthermore, different source of surface water (pond and lake) also treated in designed filter media and it is observed that water quality like turbidity, colour, pH and total dissolved solid are coming within the permissible limit recommended for drinking water after the treatment. The bacteria removal efficiency for pond water is 85 % and for the lake water is 72 % this because of the slightly higher alkaline pH of the surface water resulted in lower removal efficiency. But when the pH of the lake water brings down to 6 then the removal efficiency increased up to 92 % which is very close to the IS standard value of drinking water. This filter media may provide safe water for drinking, cooking and other emergency needs on a sustainable basis and meet minimum water quality standards and be readily and conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations.