{
    "title": "DrinkPure Water Purification",
    "inventor_name": "Wendelin Stark (et al.)",
    "publication_year": 2014,
    "device_name": "DrinkPure filter",
    "goal": "Provide safe drinking water to individuals without the need for electricity, tools, or extensive training.",
    "problem_addressed": "Lack of access to improved water sources for hundreds of millions of people, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.",
    "concept_summary": "A screw-top, bottle-mounted water filter that combines a nano-porous polymer membrane (90 nm pore size) with a pre-filtration capture layer and an activated-charcoal adsorption layer. The filter removes bacteria, protozoa, odour and chemical contaminants at up to one litre per minute, delivering up to 300 L of clean water per filter before the membrane and carbon need replacement.",
    "detailed_description": "The DrinkPure system consists of a simple plastic screw-top housing that fits onto any standard bottle bottle Inside, a two-stage filtration train is employed: (1) a capture filter that removes large particles, (2) a nano-porous polymer membrane fabricated by a nanotechnology-based process (metal-salt-nanoparticle templating and dissolution) that excludes particles down to 90 nm, and (3) an activated-charcoal layer that adsorbs odour and chemical contaminants. The membrane and carbon cartridge are replaceable, allowing repeated use. The filter weighs < 100 g and is targeted to cost < US$20 per unit.",
    "category": "Materials Science & Ceramics",
    "principles": [
        "Size-exclusion filtration using nano-porous polymer membranes",
        "Adsorption of organic compounds and odour on activated charcoal",
        "Nanoparticle templating and dissolution to create controlled pore structures"
    ],
    "scientific_domains": [
        "Materials Science",
        "Environmental Engineering",
        "Water Treatment",
        "Nanotechnology"
    ],
    "mechanisms_of_action": [
        "Physical sieving of particles >= 90 nm by the polymer membrane",
        "Adsorptive removal of chemicals and odour by activated carbon",
        "Pre-filtration capture of larger debris"
    ],
    "materials": [
        "Synthetic polymer (unspecified; e.g., polysulfone or similar)",
        "Metal-salt nanoparticles (templating agent)",
        "Activated charcoal",
        "Plastic bottle housing"
    ],
    "energy_sources": [],
    "inputs": [
        "Contaminated water",
        "Standard plastic bottle"
    ],
    "outputs": [
        "Clean drinking water"
    ],
    "claimed_performance": "Filters up to 300 L of water per membrane; flow rate up to 1 L min^-^1; removes particles down to 90 nm, including bacteria and protozoa; odour and chemical removal via activated carbon.",
    "experimental_evidence": "Prototype filters have been produced and demonstrated to deliver 300 L of clean water at 1 L min^-^1; field testing planned in five villages in Mali; crowdfunding campaign raised > US$71 k for production.",
    "replication_status": "Prototype testing ongoing; first production filters slated for distribution to supporters in January 2015 and field trials in Mali.",
    "keywords": [
        "portable water filter",
        "nano-porous membrane",
        "activated carbon",
        "screw-top design",
        "low-cost purification",
        "disaster relief"
    ],
    "related_technologies": [
        "Membrane filtration",
        "Activated-carbon adsorption",
        "Nanoporous polymer fabrication"
    ],
    "controversy_level": "low",
    "confidence_score": 0.9,
    "practicability_score": 0.8,
    "fringe_score": 0.2,
    "evidence_strength": 0.6,
    "risk_score": 0.1,
    "trl_estimate": 5,
    "source_urls": [
        "http://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/water/news/novel-water-purifying-filter.html",
        "https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drinkpure-a-novel-water-filtration-device",
        "US2013299417"
    ],
    "organizations": [
        "Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)",
        "Water & pH Solutions (Swiss NGO)",
        "Indiegogo (crowdfunding platform)"
    ],
    "applications": [
        "Portable household water purification",
        "Emergency relief water supply",
        "Rural community water access"
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Membrane and carbon cartridges require periodic replacement",
        "Capacity limited to ~300 L per membrane",
        "Performance data limited to prototype demonstrations"
    ],
    "open_questions": [
        "Long-term durability and fouling resistance of the polymer membrane",
        "Effectiveness against viruses and smaller pathogens",
        "Cost scalability for mass production"
    ],
    "red_flags": [],
    "evidence_quotes": [
        "\"One DrinkPure water filter provides enough drinking water for one person for one year, after which the membrane and activated carbon can be replaced over and over again.\"",
        "\"The researchers used a novel porous polymer membrane developed through nanotechnology, thus making DrinkPure allow the filtration of particles as small as 90 nanometres, including bacteria and protozoa, at rate of up to one litre a minute.\"",
        "\"The innovation which weighs less than 100 grams, with a target cost of less than US$20 a filter, has two pre-filtration components a capture filter that separates large particles and an activated charcoal layer that removes odour and chemical contaminants.\"",
        "\"They plan to have the first filters completed and sent to project supporters for distribution by January 2015 in Sub-Saharan Africa.\"",
        "\"Water & pH Solutions ... plans to distribute DrinkPure for testing in five villages in Mali.\""
    ]
}