Researchers are using soil bacteria to develop a safe, sustainable way to purify water and make it drinkable.
Soil Microbial Fuel Cells or SMFCs capture and use energy from metabolic reactions in soil bacteria.
They are buried in soil and are connected to a reactor that purifies water.
Researchers successfully tested SMFCs in remote Icapui, a village in Brazil.
There is little access to a reliable power source.
Rain is the main source of drinking water but it must be sterilized. Chlorinated makes it drinkable, but the method leaves a bad taste and odour, and is harmful when uncontrolled.
The current technology purifies three litres of water, but researchers are working on increasing capacity and efficiency.
Water scarcity in semi-arid areas is a problem.
There is now a sustainable way to treat water effectively and make it drinkable.
Original article:
Soil-powered fuel cell promises cheap, sustainable water purification
Original study: