Development of an advanced multifunctional portable water purifier

• DOI: 10.1007/s41204-019-0054-6
• Publication Date: 2019-01-11T20:15:11Z
• Authors: M. Taheran; P. Kumar; M. Naghdi; S. K. Brar; E. J. Knystautas; M. Verma; R. Y. Surampalli
• Keywords: Polyacrylonitrile; Turbidity; Electrospinning; Portable water purification

A novel approach to fabricate an efficient portable water purification device was tested. The polyacrylonitrile/chitosan (PAN–CTN) and polyacrylonitrile/biochar (PAN–BC) composite membranes were made through electrospinning, and laccase was immobilized on PAN–BC membrane (PAN–BC–LAC). Three layers of composite membrane (PAN–CTN, PAN–BC–LAC, and PAN–BC) were placed in a series for purification of water measured in terms of microorganisms, micropollutants, and turbidity. The system provided around 83% of micropollutant removal, 99% removal of microorganisms, and up to 77% of turbidity reduction within < 5 min of the contact time. This device does not need an energy source for functioning and can prevent using plastic water bottles for activities in remote areas.