By: Jaymi Heimbuch
Publication: Treehugger
Date: September 1, 2011
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/removing-arsenic-from-water-withplastic-bottles-and-nutrition-supplements.html?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Photo: This photo shows a water bottle sitting in an area with arsenic filled water. It's not trash laying in the water, it's actually helping get rid of the arsenic in this water.
Summary: Water bottles are usually thought of as a problem when we talk about drinking water, but not in this case. These bottles are helping 100 million people. Water bottles and a nutrient that is in dietary supplement can help water with arsenic in it, clean enough for people to drink! Arsenic is a big problem around the world, mostly in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. Something that hasn't been helped very much, but that could change. The American Chemical Society says, "this new technology could help as a simple, inexpensive, and very easy solution." All you do is take a water bottle, or any other plastic bottle and coat it in cysteine, which is the dietary supplement. Then you swirl it around in the water contaminated with arsenic, the arsenic builds up on the cysteine, and when you remove the bottle it is clean to drink! This could help so many villages, and it would be easy and a cheap price!
Opinion/Reflection: I think this is a great idea! Arsenic-contaminated water is a big problem around the world that I didn't think anyone was trying to help. Now there is this simple way that it can be helped little by little. With water bottles! Water bottles can be collected easily and cysteine is a non-technical process, so it's a cheap and simple way! People need clean water so bad. Who knew there would be a way this simple. I hope they can find an even bigger way that more arsenic can be cleaned at one time, but you need somewhere to start, and this is a great spot. I remember looking at the site in class and I felt horrible for those people living in Nepal with arsenic contaminated water. Now maybe there is a way to fix it!
Question:
1: Do you think this idea is going to work for a long time? Why?
2: Do you like this idea of using water bottles? Why or why not?
3: Do you have any other ideas on how arsenic-contaminated water can be cleaned?
4: How do you think the people that have arsenic-contaminated water are feeling?
Opinion/Reflection: I think that this is a very good idea! Who thought that water bottles could be used for something good instead of bad such as polluting the water. Before I read the article, I thought that people were just throwing in water bottles to pollute an area. After I read it, I found out how people are using the water bottles to help clean arsenic filled water! It is a smart idea because water bottles can be found very easily and the process to coat them in the chemical is very simple, so everyone could it. I hope that it can help the people who live in areas where arsenic is widely present. Also, another good thing about this is that it is a very cheap process, so people in more poor countries can do this to clean their water easily!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question #4: Many people who have arsenic contaminated water may not know that they do. Until they actually start drinking and experiencing some of the harsh effects, they may have not of even known that arsenic was in their water. I think that the people may be upset because they know their water isn't safe to drink at all. After reading this article, I hope that people spread the word about how to take the arsenic out of the water because some countries don't have that clean water we do in America! If they are able to clean out the water, I think the people would be happy and greatfull for the clean water!
Opinion/Reflection: I really like this idea because it is taking care of two problems at once or "Killing two birds with one stone." It is an effective way to remove arsenic from contaminated water and it also gives empty water bottles a purpose. When we clean up the polluted water with these water bottles we are re-using them in a positive way! For many year now, the world has been wondering what to do with all of the empty water bottles polluting Earth, and now there is a way. I am all for recycling, but this has gone beyond and above most of my expectations. Not only do weuse the water bottles for godd, but we also are saving lives in the process. The other great thing is that the cysteine coating that has to be used is also a dietary supplement and is inexpensive. This is great
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question #1: I believe that this will most definetly work for a long time. I mean, it makes so much sense. We have over a billion empty plastic water bottles on our planet today that aren't even being used. Now, they have a purpose and it is a good purpose too. With this, people will continue to buy water bottles and the finished water bottle will be used to clean arsenic out of water around the world. As long as there is arsenic in some water and people continue to buy water bottles, then this process will continue with no problem! Great Idea :)
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteCool idea! I did not know you could clean water with trash in the water. I wonder how ever if they pick up the water bottle afterwards. Also, how much ater can be cleaned before the ottle is of no use. I do not know so I do not know if it is a good idesa to be throwing plastic bottles into the arsenic filled water. Although, if this idea is successful and does clean more and does more good then it does harm, I think more people could pitch in. Maybe we could use refillable or long-lasting specialized containers that clean. I think the problem with that is it might be expensive as plastic bottles are not. Even though the plastic bottle is still trash, I think it is helping out a cause that is more deadly and urgent.
Answer to Question #4:
I would be very outraged. If i knew I could do anything from potentially feeding myself poison I would do it. If I could clean my water for myself and others I would do it.If this works and it is cheap why not.
Opinion/ Reflection: Wow this idea sounds great! Now not only will it make water healthier but it is so inexpensive, and easy to do! Now all poor countries who are in desperate need for water have an easy process and BAM they can get water just like that! I think that it should be tested before informing other countries about it because I would think twice before throwing my water bottle in arsenic filled water! I really hope that this idea works properly because it could benefit the world in so many ways! I hope that it especially helps the areas that have only arsenic filled water near them to drink. After watching and reading about countries all over the world who don't have water or even clean water in class, this sounds like a brilliant idea!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question #2:
I think that even though the plastic water bottle business is bad for the economy and they are basically cheating us, it is very hard to get the whole of America to stop buying them, so why not make good use of them? It is a big risk though because it could double the pollution in water bodies and no one wants that either!