Cheap method to remove arsenic from water

2002/07/15 Orobengoa, Olatz - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Osasuna

The main component of the filter is obtained by heating a mixture of crushed bricks and ferrous sulphates. The new filter has many advantages: in addition to capturing aquatic arsenic, it has demonstrated a great capacity to eliminate iron and lead and is also very cheap: for each filter only 3$ are needed.

It is good news for the people of Bangladesh, as arsenic appears spontaneously in the waters of the country. The concentration of arsenic in the rocks in the area is very high, so groundwater is also contaminated. Because of these polluted waters, WHO estimates that there are 80 million poisoned people in Bangladesh alone.

Arseniasis, chronic arsenic poisoning, has very bad influence on the body. Problems mainly focus on blood circulation, increasing arteriosclerosis and the risk of heart attacks. In addition, some scientists claim it is related to diabetes.