scholarly journals White Teeth and Healthy Skeletons for All: The Path to Universal Fluoride-Free Drinking Water in Tanzania

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Ndé-Tchoupé ◽  
Raoul Tepong-Tsindé ◽  
Mesia Lufingo ◽  
Zuleikha Pembe-Ali ◽  
Innocent Lugodisha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Natural Waters ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fluoride Level ◽  
Clean Drinking Water ◽  
And Storage

Fluorosis has been prevalent in the great East African Rift Valley (EARV) since before this region was given a name. In the Tanganyika days, Germans reported elevated fluoride concentrations in natural waters. In the 1930s, the clear relationship between high fluoride level and mottling of teeth was established. Since then, the global research community has engaged in the battle to provide fluoride-free drinking water, and the battle is not yet won for low-income communities. An applicable concept for fluoride-free drinking water in the EARV was recently presented, using the Kilimanjaro as a rainwater harvesting park. The Kilimanjaro concept implies that rainwater is harvested, stored on the Kilimanjaro mountains, gravity-transported to the point of use, eventually blended with natural water and treated for distribution. This article provides a roadmap for the implementation of the Kilimanjaro concept in Tanzania. Specifically, the current paper addresses the following: (i) presents updated nationwide information on fluoride contaminated areas, (ii) discusses the quality and quantity of rainwater, and current rainwater harvesting practices in Tanzania, (iii) highlights how low-cost water filters based on Fe0/biochar can be integrating into rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems to provide clean drinking water, and (iv) discusses the need for strict regulation of RWH practices to optimize water collection and storage, while simplifying the water treatment chain, and recommends strict analytical monitoring of water quality and public education to sustain public health in the EARV. In summary, it is demonstrated that, by combining rainwater harvesting and low-cots water treatment methods, the Kilimanjaro concept has the potential to provide clean drinking water, and overcome fluorosis on a long-term basis. However, a detailed design process is required to determine: (i) institutional roles, and community contributions and participation, (ii) optimal location and sizing of conveyance and storage facilities to avoid excessive pumping costs, and (iii) project funding mechanisms, including prospects for government subsidy. By drawing attention to the Kilimanjaro concept, the article calls for African engineers and scientists to take the lead in translating this concept into reality for the benefit of public health, while simultaneously increasing their self-confidence to address other developmental challenges pervasive in Africa.

scholarly journals Fe0/H2O Filtration Systems for Decentralized Safe Drinking Water: Where to from Here?

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Nanseu-Njiki ◽  
Willis Gwenzi ◽  
Martin Pengou ◽  
Mohammad Rahman ◽  
Chicgoua Noubactep
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Iron Corrosion ◽  
Small Communities

Inadequate access to safe drinking water is one of the most pervasive problems currently afflicting the developing world. Scientists and engineers are called to present affordable but efficient solutions, particularly applicable to small communities. Filtration systems based on metallic iron (Fe0) are discussed in the literature as one such viable solution, whether as a stand-alone system or as a complement to slow sand filters (SSFs). Fe0 filters can also be improved by incorporating biochar to form Fe0-biochar filtration systems with potentially higher contaminant removal efficiencies than those based on Fe0 or biochar alone. These three low-cost and chemical-free systems (Fe0, biochar, SSFs) have the potential to provide universal access to safe drinking water. However, a well-structured systematic research is needed to design robust and efficient water treatment systems based on these affordable filter materials. This communication highlights the technology being developed to use Fe0-based systems for decentralized safe drinking water provision. Future research directions for the design of the next generation Fe0-based systems are highlighted. It is shown that Fe0 enhances the efficiency of SSFs, while biochar has the potential to alleviate the loss of porosity and uncertainties arising from the non-linear kinetics of iron corrosion. Fe0-based systems are an affordable and applicable technology for small communities in low-income countries, which could contribute to attaining self-reliance in clean water supply and universal public health.

Orthophosphate removal from aqueous solutions using drinking-water treatment sludge

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1757-1762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Piaskowski
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Underground Water ◽  
Iron Hydroxides ◽  
Water Treatment Sludge ◽  
Main Component ◽  
Static Conditions

Drinking-water treatment sludge (DWTS) is a by-product generated during the production of drinking water where iron hydroxides are the main component of the sludge. The aim of the study presented here was to determine the effectiveness of using ferric sludge from two underground water treatment stations to remove orthophosphates from a model solution. The analyses were performed in static conditions. The sludge was dosed in a dry and suspended form. Using sludge dried at room temperature and preparing the suspension again proved to be much less effective in orthophosphate removal than using a suspension brought directly from the station. An increase in process effectiveness with a decreasing pH was observed for all the analysed sludge. Due to the low cost and high capability, DWTS has the potential to be utilised for cost-effective removal of phosphate from wastewater.

A novel low-cost multi-barrier system for drinking water treatment in rural and suburban areas

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Siwila ◽  
Isobel C. Brink
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Granular Media ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water System ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Novel Concept

Abstract A low-cost multi-barrier drinking water system incorporating geotextile fabric for pre-filtration, silver-coated ceramic granular media (SCCGM) for filtration and disinfection, granular activated carbon (GAC) as an adsorption media and a safe storage compartment for treated water has been developed and tested. The developed system offers a novel concept of point-of-use drinking water treatment in rural and suburban areas of developing countries. The system is primarily aimed at bacterial and aesthetic improvement and has been optimised to produce >99.99% E. coli and fecal coliforms removal. Although particular emphasis was placed on the elimination of bacteria, improvement of the acceptability aspects of water was also given high priority so that users are not motivated to use more appealing but potentially unsafe sources. This paper discusses key system features and contaminant removal performance. A system using SCCGM only was also tested alongside the multi-barrier system. Strengths and weaknesses of the system are also presented. Both the developed and SCCGM-only systems consistently provided >99.99% E. coli and fecal coliforms removal at an optimum flow of 2 L/h. The developed system significantly recorded improvements of aesthetic aspects (turbidity, color, taste and odor). Average turbidity removals were 99.2% and 90.2% by the multi-barrier and SCCGM-only systems respectively.

scholarly journals Photocatalytic Enhancement for Solar Disinfection of Water: A Review

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Anthony Byrne ◽  
Pilar A. Fernandez-Ibañez ◽  
Patrick S. M. Dunlop ◽  
Dheaya M. A. Alrousan ◽  
Jeremy W. J. Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Waterborne Diseases ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Semiconductor Photocatalysis ◽  
Solar Disinfection ◽  
Clean Drinking Water

It is estimated that 884 million people lack access to improved water supplies. Many more are forced to rely on supplies that are microbiologically unsafe, resulting in a higher risk of waterborne diseases, including typhoid, hepatitis, polio, and cholera. Due to poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water, there are around 4 billion cases of diarrhea each year resulting in 2.2 million deaths, most of these are children under five. While conventional interventions to improve water supplies are effective, there is increasing interest in household-based interventions to produce safe drinking water at an affordable cost for developing regions. Solar disinfection (SODIS) is a simple and low cost technique used to disinfect drinking water, where water is placed in transparent containers and exposed to sunlight for 6 hours. There are a number of parameters which affect the efficacy of SODIS, including the solar irradiance, the quality of the water, and the nature of the contamination. One approach to SODIS enhancement is the use of semiconductor photocatalysis to produce highly reactive species that can destroy organic pollutants and inactivate water pathogens. This paper presents a critical review concerning semiconductor photocatalysis as a potential enhancement technology for solar disinfection of water.

The Use of Aluminosilicate Sorbent for the Purification of Natural Waters from Heavy Metals

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Kutergin ◽  
T.A. Nedobukh
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Mechanical Strength ◽  
Natural Waters ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Filtration Process ◽  
Treated Water ◽  
Dynamic Exchange

The possibilities of using natural granular glauconite in standard water treatment schemes have been investigated. Resource tests of the studied material were carried out in dynamics, simulating possible conditions of use. As a result of the experiments, it was established: during the filtration process, alkalization of water occurs, but the result does not exceed pH = 6÷9, which are the norm for drinking water; the use of a sorbent based on natural glauconite does not impair the hardness indicator of the treated water. The dynamic exchange capacity was: for iron – 3.09 mg/g of absorbent, copper – 19.15 mg/g of absorbent, zinc – 4.82 mg/g of absorbent. The resource of the filter was determined with the loading of granulate with a volume of 1 dm3: for iron – 2918 dm3, for copper – 5425 dm3, for zinc – 273 dm3. The mechanical strength acquired by the sorbent as a result of granulation made it possible to wash the load by the countercurrent method, freeing intergranular pores from the sediment accumulated in them. The revealed capabilities of granular glauconite will allow its use in drinking water treatment schemes for purifying natural waters from heavy metals: iron, zinc, copper.

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