Researchers from Harvard University, United States, have demonstrated a carbon nanotube-based filtration and electrolysis system that can completely remove or inactivate viruses and bacteria from water. This technology could, according to co-author Chad Vecitis, help the one billion people in developing countries who struggle to find clean drinking water on a daily basis. The device uses a filter of porous multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which are advantageous compared to other carbon-based filtration techniques, due to their large surface areas, inherent antimicrobial activity and resistance to corrosion. The device can also electrolyze water by running a small current through the nanotubes and inserting another electrode into the water, producing oxygen to kill the pathogens. The technology could lead to inexpensive commercial water filters, perhaps powered by portable solar panels, and could save millions of people every year from diseases and death caused by waterborne pathogens. Vecitis says the next step is to create a more compact device with the capacity to filter two to three liters of water per day, the minimum people need to survive. The article can be viewed online at the link below.