U.S. Water News Online
LONDON -- Ultrasound treatment technology developed by British scientists has proven effective in neutralizing the threat of cryptosporidium in drinking water. Biwater, a leading British water process company, has patented an ultrasound system designed to rupture and deactivate "crypto" oocysts.
"We have invested 350,000 pounds in our process and are confident that it will successfully eliminate the problem," said Saad Alani, research and development manager for Biwater.
Sonochemistry studies by the Department of Applied Physics at Coventry University in the British Midlands, have identified "hot spots" of local energy that produce cavitation bubbles within the rarefaction cycle of an ultrasonic wave. When the bubbles collapse, a surge of energy is generated that is capable of destroying biological and organic contaminants in water. The research has been specifically aimed at treatment of chemically polluted water, improved catalytic destruction of specific pollutants, and remediation of contaminated soil.
"To date the process has not been used on a large scale so costs are difficult to establish," said Timothy Mason, professor of chemistry at Coventry University. However, added Mason, a number of U.K. companies, including the Scottish firm of FTD Engineering Design & Development, have expressed interest in the ultrasound treatment technique.
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