More than 800 million people around the world don’t have access to clean water free of water-borne diseases. Now the scientific community has been working frantically to make cheap filters for the water that can separate impurities like mud, grime, and general organic matter.However, nobody has yet been successful in making a filter that can filter viruses from the water until now. The new simple sheet of filter paper made from natural algae fibers has been tested by scientists, and it was found that a major number of disinfectant resistant viruses can be filtered from it. The new sheet of paper filter has been named mille-feuille’ or ‘thousands leaves’ filter. Yes, after the French pastry but don’t go eating it. It is meant to save thousands of people’s lives!
Previously, the filters were made from cellulose that filter impurities but its holes are just too large for stopping any kind of germs. What mille-feuille promises is something made directly from nature and using simple production methods that can be replicated anywhere with ease according to lead researcher Albert Mihranyan of Uppsala University in Sweden. After this basic filter is complete, the goal would be to make ones that can filter even the toughest viruses from the water as easily as grinding coffee beans and brewing them. Viruses are particularly dangerous as water-borne infections as bacteria can be dealt with the basic boiling process, but viruses are a really tough nut to crack.
Now we are all of the impression that poor nations, especially in Africa and India, don’t have access to clean, safe water, but that is not true. Even developed nations like Sweden and Britain have been dealing with this problem for some time, and it would be really nice to make a filter that can actually do it completely. These filters also have medical applications as they can be used to collect viruses and work on vaccines and therapeutic proteins as well. The paper is long-lasting and will take some time to be clogged with viruses and debris. It is a nice way to end our reliance on the use of Chlorine that people use and make their waters toxic just to get rid of germs. Pretty cool, huh?
