According to Greenpeace data, only about 2.5% of the world’s water is drinkable, coming from resources such as freshwater reservoirs in lakes, rivers, and groundwater. The need for water to supply the entire world population is becoming unsustainable, and water resources appear to be insufficient.
This problem is exacerbated by water contamination , which is one of the most persistent public health problems. As a consequence of human activities such as industry, which dumps tons of toxic substances into the seas, rivers and lakes, and which seep into underground water reservoirs, making it unfit for consumption.
Fortunately, human technology has effective processes to purify water and treat it to adapt it to human consumption. The problem with water disinfection is that this purification system requires the use of disinfectants, necessary to prevent infections and make it drinkable. Despite the fact that the water purification system is one of the greatest advances in public health, Since it allows tens of thousands of liters of water to become fit for human consumption, it is sometimes insufficient.
Some pathogens are deadly AND certain waterborne pathogens develop resistance to added disinfectants, requiring either adding more disinfectant to get rid of them, or adding more aggressive disinfectants. This apparent solution, however, is not, because it can damage the quality of the water.
Now is the time to find a water purification solution that does not require aggressive components, and human technology is ready to do so: it is now possible to remove bacteria from water without harmful disinfectants, thanks to silver nanoparticles. Catalan researchers have developed Janus spherical micro-robots that can purify water, leaving it free of batteries such as E. coli, one of the most dangerous in countries without sufficient hygienic and public health conditions. Avoiding infection by pathogens through water is a safe and effective way to save lives. The technology that makes it possible is described in a study published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces and directed by postdoctoral researcher Diana Vilela – member of the Smart Nano-Bio-Devices group of the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), and describes the development of small robots that can swim in water and clean disease-causing bacteria in their wake.
These nanorobots without tiny, and are built with efficient technology, but respecting the aquatic components of water. They are circular and move through the liquid element detecting and eliminating harmful substances. Its outer layer of gold is coated with silver and has a double ability: to capture bacteria and then kill them. Its structure is very sophisticated. They contain magnesium particles with which they propel themselves through the water for about 15 to 20 minutes, being able to trap up to 80% of bacteria. In addition, they contain iron , which helps them orient themselves in the liquid element. A fast and efficient way to purify water that could save many lives.
Reference:
Diana Vilela, Morgan M. Stanton, Jemish Parmar & Samuel Sanchez (2017). “Microbots decorated with silver nanoparticles kill bacteria in aqueous media”. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 10.1021/acsami.7b03006
