A novel point-of-use water treatment method by antimicrobial nanosilver textile material

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria are one of the main reasons for worldwide water-borne disease causing a big threat to public health, hence there is an urgent need to develop cost-effective water treatment technologies. Nano-materials in point-of-use systems have recently attracted considerable research and commercial interests as they can overcome the drawbacks of traditional water treatment techniques. We have developed a new point-of-use water disinfection kit with nanosilver textile material. The silver nanoparticles were in-situ generated and immobilized onto cotton textile, followed by fixing to a plastic tube to make a water disinfection kit. By soaking and stirring the kit in water, pathogenic bacteria have been killed within minutes. The silver leaching from the kit was insignificant, with values <100 ppb – the current US EPA and WHO limit for silver level in drinking water. Herein, the nanosilver textile water disinfection kit could be a new, efficient and cost-effective point-of-use water treatment method for rural areas and emergency preparedness.