Wolf Projects

On March 16th, 2009, a group of concerned Tech companies (IBM, Central Glass, KACST and the University of Texas) across the globe, announced their collaboration to make it possible for newer water purification system that involves membranes filtering out harmful toxins (e.g. Arsenic).  In addition, this new form of water filtration uses a lot less energy, making it a greener and more healthy alternative for water purification.   It was on March 16th that Tokyo-based Central Glass and King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) revealed this technology to the world.  People recognized the benefit of this technology instantly, bearing in mind that there is a growing shortage of drinking water internationally.  Also according to the World Health Organization, water contaminated with Arsenic has been a major problem since the 1990s.  In countries that have been exposed to water contaminated with arsenic on a long term basis, 10 people on average, run the risk of dying from cancers due to drinking their water.  

This new technology is a major improvement to past membrane filtration technologies. While past member filtration systems are susceptible to chlorine damage, this technique is better in some respect; it’s the most energy efficient technique for removing salt, improving water conditions and it’s more resistant to chlorine, a common additive to water that can prevent the growth of bacteria but is known to cause  health problems.

Bob Allen, water purification project manager at the IBM Almaden Research Center, stated that, “”As clean water becomes more scarce and disease from impure water impacts more of the world’s population, the race to find efficient methods to purify this important resource is at a critical juncture… The kind of research we’re doing, and the promising results we’re seeing, stand to create a whole new paradigm for how we manage natural resources such as water.”

In general, what makes this new water filtration system so effective is its unique chemistry.  The membranes make use of what researchers labeled, the “water superhighway”; with it’s fluorine body, membranes change from low water transporting filters to a “high water transporting state in a basic environment,” according to an IBM official article related to this subject. Moreover, the high pH in the membranes makes toxins like Arsenic more apparent and easier to detect. With easy detection, filtering contaminated water through the membrane makes identification of toxins much easier, thus filtering out the unwanted toxins.

More Information can be found at IBM Research, Central Glass, and KACST. [Thank you!]