Efficient Water Purification using TiO2 and Novel Activation Method

Under this SBIR, Imaging Systems Technology (IST) will investigate coating UV Plasma-shells with Titanium (IV) Dioxide (TiO2) to produce a low cost rugged, lightweight, and highly efficient and versatile water purification system. Plasma-shells are tiny hollow gas encapsulating devices ranging in size from 400 microns to 4.00 mm. IST has demonstrated prototype Plasma-shells devices that produce UV A, B and C. UVA activated TiO2 is a powerful catalyst that can be used in the breakdown of chemicals and the destruction of pathogens in contaminated water. It has been shown to be more effective than UV alone.§If successful, this research will result in the replacement of fragile bulky UV quartz tubes in standard water purification systems with a rugged pack of lightweight Plasma-shells. In the proposed configuration, the UV producing surface area will be increased by several order of magnitude makingthe TiO2-Plasma-shell system potentially much more powerful than current purification systems. Adding to the efficiency is the fact that the water will be in close proximity to the TiO2 Plasma-shells thus providing improved contact between the activated surface and the contaminants. This innovation has broad impact because potable water is one of the most basic of human requirements. Clean water directly affects our health and welfare of every living creature on the planet. §The proposed innovation has significant commercial potential. Due to its lightweight, ruggedness, and low cost it may be configured to sever numerous applications including: §Large civil or industrial system that handle large quantities of water § Small portable point of use systems for disaster, humanitarian or military applications § Industrial waste water purification including contaminates produced during oil and gas recovery §IST has garnered interest from a number of organizations representing each of these applications. Battelle and Nortech are interested in developing the technology for civic and humanitarian applications. ACT 1 and CTC are interested in the technologyfor military and homeland security. Trojan is interested in the technology for a number of applications. Shell is interested in the technology for industrial applications related to oil recover. Beyond water purification, proposed technology is an enabling technology that has applications in purification of air, food, and medical instrumentation and photo-curing.