Palladium-gold nanoparticle catalyst instantly disinfects water

The problem of drinking water purification does not cease to be relevant, so scientists are looking forWays to do this

The process is fast and efficient. 

During the work, the chemists had a different goal: they wanted to use a catalystfor the production of hydrogen peroxide directly in water purification.

However, after they watchedThe results of testing their development, they found that in the process of H2O2 synthesis, many other molecules containing oxygen arise, which interact tens and hundreds of millions of times more actively with microbes than peroxide and chlorine.

A similar level of bactericidal activity of these compounds,as noted by Hutchins and his colleagues, it allows for almost instant water purification from microbes, spores and other organic contaminants that can negatively affect human health.

We have implemented the idea that you can instantly purify water using only a catalyst, contaminated liquid and electricity.In this respect, our invention is vastly superior to commercial disinfectants based on chlorine or hydrogen peroxide. 

Graham Hutchins, author and professor, Cardiff University 

Technically, for cleaning, you need to immerse a small amount of catalyst nanoparticles in water and pass a current through it, as a result of which, after 30 seconds, all traces of microbes will completely disappear from the water.

Among the main advantages, the authors note that their catalyst can be used almost indefinitely: metal nanoparticles are not consumed and remain stable. 

Read more:

The conversations of the deceased Soyuz-11 crew have been declassified: what they talked about before their death

Australia has found beetles that walk upside down on the inner surface of the water

Study: dinosaur populations plummeted before extinction