New Lead Removal Tech Could Save Flint

A Swiss researcher released the results of a two-year study on how to remove lead from water last month.

According to NBC News, that’s welcome news right now. “If you're going to announce a potentially groundbreaking method of clearing lead and other contaminants from drinking water, this is a good time.”

Scientist Raffaele Mezzenga published the results in the journal Nature Nanotechnology recently as the Flint lead contamination crisis continues to dominate the national headlines.

“Authorities are debating long- and short-term fixes to Flint's water system. Mezzenga said in an interview that his new method could be part of the solution in that city and any number of communities around the world facing similar problems,” NBC News reported.

The research surrounds a prototype that could be altered for use in homes or at water treatment plants. The idea is relatively simple, the report said: “a paper-like membrane, packed with carbon and processed milk proteins, that grabs heavy metals, radioactive waste and other industrial byproducts as polluted water passes through.”

More on the research findings, per NBC:

A kilogram of the prototype membrane, enough to purify more water than the average human will drink in a lifetime, will cost about $100 to make, Mezzenga said. He envisions a portable version of the filter that delivered to people in stricken communities. His research involved drawing water through the filter with a vacuum, which could be made with a run-of-the-mill hand pump, he said.

The researchers say current technology for purifying contaminated water is expensive and ion specific. “There is therefore a significant need for new approaches,” the study said.

Flint was thrust into the national news this year when the governor declared a state of emergency over a lead contamination crisis that is taking a toll on public health. Everything from lead to disinfectant byproducts have plagued the supply since the city switched from Detroit water and began drinking Flint River water two years ago.

This week, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver “outlined an estimated $55-million public works project expected to begin within a month to remove Flint's lead-contaminated pipes from the water distribution system,” the Detroit Free Press reported.

For similar stories, visit Water Online’s Drinking Water Contaminant Removal Solutions Center.