How a seed helps purify water
22 February 10
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Scientists in Sweden and Botswana have discovered why a seed from a specific tree can act as a natural way of purifying water.
A team from Uppsala University in Sweden collaborated with researchers at The University of Botswana to study the properties of the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree.
The seeds have been ground down and used in water by people in the Sudan and Kenya for decades and, says Professor Adrian Rennie who led the project, this has been well documented over the last 15-20 years. But what, on a molecular level, allows extracts from the seeds to cause impurities in the water to aggregate so that they can then be removed?
The Scattering Centre at ngstrm Laboratory and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University aimed to find out. They used a technique called neutron reflection, typically employed to study extremely thin chemical films. Using this technique, they found that an unusual combination of low molecular mass proteins from the seed extracts acted as flocculents -- namely, they caused other particles to clot together. These particles included bacteria and mineral impurities.
Speaking to Wired, Professor Rennie said that the larger particles tend to then settle at the bottom of a water container and can be filtered out. However, whether the water would then be deemed to be drinkable by Western standards, he says, depends "on how fussy you are".
The researchers are now going to study whether the natural seed extract will allow the removal of oil or soapy materials from water, as well as looking at the properties of other seed extracts. He adds that the research has already attracted interest from scientists in India, where the Moringa oleifera originates from.
"It is nice to see how the basic interactions of molecules can play a role in solving practical problems," says Professor Rennie. "Understanding of the process may lead to further development in water purification with materials that are locally available and environmentally friendly."
A team from Uppsala University in Sweden collaborated with researchers at The University of Botswana to study the properties of the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree.
The seeds have been ground down and used in water by people in the Sudan and Kenya for decades and, says Professor Adrian Rennie who led the project, this has been well documented over the last 15-20 years. But what, on a molecular level, allows extracts from the seeds to cause impurities in the water to aggregate so that they can then be removed?
The Scattering Centre at ngstrm Laboratory and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University aimed to find out. They used a technique called neutron reflection, typically employed to study extremely thin chemical films. Using this technique, they found that an unusual combination of low molecular mass proteins from the seed extracts acted as flocculents -- namely, they caused other particles to clot together. These particles included bacteria and mineral impurities.
Speaking to Wired, Professor Rennie said that the larger particles tend to then settle at the bottom of a water container and can be filtered out. However, whether the water would then be deemed to be drinkable by Western standards, he says, depends "on how fussy you are".
The researchers are now going to study whether the natural seed extract will allow the removal of oil or soapy materials from water, as well as looking at the properties of other seed extracts. He adds that the research has already attracted interest from scientists in India, where the Moringa oleifera originates from.
"It is nice to see how the basic interactions of molecules can play a role in solving practical problems," says Professor Rennie. "Understanding of the process may lead to further development in water purification with materials that are locally available and environmentally friendly."
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-02/22/how-a-seed-helps-purify-water
Pass this on to your relatives and friends.
Ravi
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