Modern filtration based on graphene materials

layers of graphene form material-like filter

Water treatment has been becoming international issues since the past decades. Crisis in water has affected the world society, particularly for people who need water. This problem is actually caused by the contamination caused by human activities such as industrial operations. To solve this problem, the researchers form University of New South Wales, Australia has successfully fabricated the world-first filter made from graphene.

Graphene is hexagonal carbon compounds in a single layer dimension. The structure of graphene provides many advantageous, and one of those is the ability of becoming a very good filter. The scientists from UNSW Australia stated that their graphene-based filter was able to remove more than 90 percent of natural organic matter which is found commonly in underground water. This discovery could answer the water treatment in several nations including in Indonesia. Their work is a collaboration with Sydney Water and the report has been published in journal Carbon.

In the nature, there are two types of water. First of all is the underground water which is located beneath the soil. Due to its location, underground water is vulnerable to be contaminated by hazard compounds. Although, the arrangements of rocks formation inside the soil can be considered as natural filter, however, this solution is not distributed widely in the world. The last source of water is coming from the sea, or saltwater which contain salt-like minerals. To be consumed, both of types of water must be treated to remove minerals that are not needed by the human body.

Water quality of water contain lots of minerals. They are silica, iron, potassium, magnesium, and many more. Thus, they affect the physical and chemical properties. For instance, the presence of sulphide, nitrate and chlorine would make the water become acidic or more acidic, while the presence of higher level of iron could lead unhealthy water quality although this element is essential for blood regeneration. To remove, this unneeded minerals, there are lots of method that has been used. However, the utilization of graphene is new, so the scientists are the first team to be succeed in filtering the water.