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Researchers Develop "Tea Bag" Water Filter
cybernanga writes "A group of researchers in South Africa has developed a filter that can purify water straight from the bottle. The filter sits inside a tube fitted on top of a bottle and purifies water as it is poured on a cup. From the article: 'The designer behind the filter, Dr Eugene Cloete, from the Stellenbosch University in South Africa, says the filter is only as big as an ordinary tea bag. He says the product is cost-effective and easy to use. "We are coming in here at the fraction of the cost of anything else that is currently on the market," says Dr Cloete on BBC World Service.'"
and does not make inappropriate sexual comments about Tea Partygoers.
I thought Teabaggers were all for restoring the rights given by the constitution, regardless as to whether what's being said doesn't agree with their worldview?
Oh, sorry, I got caught up in theory and rhetoric.
1. Yes, that's the point (might be a bit more than 500ml).
2. Not everybody is as impatient as you seem to be.
3. It's good old activated carbon again. There's plenty of info out there...
No sig today...
And waaaay more expensive?
:).
;).
I think their target market is "cheap", not "best".
The "lifesaver" water bottle may save lives, but a few very rich lives
This "tea bag" thing may not produce water as pure or safe, but might save many more lives if it really is cheaper, easy to use and practical.
FWIW the 100% way to prevent many trillions of human deaths is to kill all humans now, so be careful if you ever ask a super smart AI to minimize the long term total number of human deaths per year
Not only is there the dubious claim that this will make water safe, and the implication that it is somehow different from other activated charcoal filters already made, but they stress how cheap or affordable it is, without ever giving any indication of a price. When someone tells you that something is inexpensive but doesn't want to tell you how much it will cost in any quantity, it will not be inexpensive.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
The Brita pitchers are only intended to improve the taste of tap water by taking out chlorine and calcium, not to actually purify unsafe water.
2. The pour rate would have to be really slow so that the water stays in contact with the carbon long enough to absorb the toxic stuff. Five minutes+ for a cup of water??
5 minutes for water versus running to the toilet every 5 minutes. Good trade.
With those prices and 3rd world exchange rates, they'll never develop their economies! They'd be in perpetual debt for water bottles.
Even Britta costs a fraction of that, and, of course, chlorine bleach (as a pre-treatment to kill bacteria)is dirt cheap.
Meanwhile, a solar still can be made with a bucket, a plastic sheet, and some manual labor. Unlike a filter, it will continue to produce clean safe water year after year with no expendable. The construction technique is simple enough that adult supervised children can do it (and learn a science lesson in the process with an immediate application).
The developed world seems to have a bias against such solutions that don't make the 3rd world dependent on a continuous stream of "manna from heaven" in the form of manufactured goods. Part of that seems to be a bit of Marie Antoinette syndrome (just can't imagine a place where such cheap ubiquitous materials are expensive and rare). Part is that people imagine that accountant run businesses will lay off their drive for profit just a bit for the sake of humanitarian aid (they won't). Perhaps part because they might then start growing their own economy rather than becoming dirt cheap labor for our clothing industry.
Meanwhile, much of the problem will stop when the developed world kindly stops selling greedy warlords automatic weapons and all the ammo they can carry.