Purify Water Using Recycled Plastic Bottle and the Sun

   
Example of Investigatory Project

Abstract

 What is water purification?

          According to Wikipedia “it is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from raw water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose. Most water is purified for human consumption (drinking water) … …In general the methods used include physical process such as filtration and sedimentation, biological processes such as slow sand filters or activated sludge, chemical process such as flocculation and chlorination and the use of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light.”

          Among the methods mentioned above, the most and probably the cheapest way to clean water is using ultraviolet light, since we are using recycled plastic bottle, it is appropriate that we use also a renewable source of energy which is probably the most available of them all, the “SUN”.

Title

Purify Water Using Recycled Plastic Bottle and the Sun

Statement of problems/objectives

 General

 To be able to purify water using recycled materials and renewable source of energy.

 Specific

1. Is it possible to purify water using recycled plastic bottle?
2. Can we use the sun as the source of energy?
3. Is it safe for human consumption?

Methodology

Materials/Equipment

1. 2 pcs Recycled Plastic Water Bottle
2. Short tube
3. Any kind of tape that is water proof, (mask, duct, pack)
4. A sunny day.

Procedure

          Clean 1 of the bottle, no need to clean the other one, since it will hold the dirty water that we will be purified. (if you want you can clean it too).  Punch a hole in the two (2) bottle cap, to accommodate the tube, then tape both cap on each end, making sure that they are water tight.  Then take one (1) of the bottle and fill it up with dirty water, put the cap, tape it to make sure it doesn’t leak.  Put the other cap on the clean bottle, tape it also.  Place the bottle with dirty water in an area where sun is shining; make sure that it is lower than the clean bottle.  You should cover the clean bottle from the sun, making sure that it will not evaporate back, a handkerchief will do, shirt or even leaves.  Wait for most of the water to evaporate into the clean bottle. (this might take many hours, depending on the temperature of the sun.) Carefully remove the clean bottle and you can now drink the fresh water in that bottle.

Results and discussion

Findings

          This study focuses only if it is feasible to purify water using recycled plastic bottle and the sun as the energy. According to the experiment it is possible to do just that.

           Wondering how it works? The water on other bottle will undergo the process of evaporation by the radiation of the sun, the evaporated water will be collected on the other bottle, giving you purified water.

Analysis of Data

          Since the experiment needs only to produce purified water using recycled plastic bottle and the energy of the sun, no data are collected. It needs only to describe the procedure.

Conclusions

          By doing this simple procedure using recycled materials and renewable source of energy, we can purify water with less or no cost at all. It is also proven to be safe for human consumption, since evaporation using the radiation of the sun, is somewhat similar to boiling water in fire, the only difference is the quantity and the length of time.

Recommendations

          According to WHO director, 2.5 million people die from drinking unsafe water every year. A total of 3.4 million people. mostly children, die every year from water-related diseases from drinking, swimming in or washing clothes in polluted water.

          This simple, basic and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) water purification will help benefit the people in an area where safe drinking water is scarce. Since this method is highly reliable, and proven to work around the world. We can educate people in rural areas to use this method.

          Further research on using this in a larger scale is needed, this method also is even more effective when the bottom half of the bottle is painted black or place on the roof with corrugated iron painted also with black help absorb more heat of the sun.

          * Be careful with what you put on the dirty bottle, since on one site I visited, the food coloring they put on the water seems to be collected also on the evaporation.

Bibliography

http://www.recyclingpoint.com.sg/Articles/23Mar2001Sun_soda_bottles.htm

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2006/03/24/lowtech_solar_water_purification_it_works.htm
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB3s9Qa8hn0&feature=PlayList&p=E228F96167487340&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=10



Investigatory Project #1