A Simple Tree Branch Can Become a Backyard Water Filter

As reported in a paper published yesterday on PLOS One, MIT researchers ran contaminated water through a sapwood branch and found that the plant tissue successfully filtered experimental dye and actual bacteria out of the mix. The filter required only a fresh branch of white pine and some cheap plastic tubing—simplicity that could be ideal in remote villages or emergency situations.

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Something easy to make and to remember in case of an emergency, it can clear 99% of E. Coli bacteria

Wow! Cool and effective! lol

Sometimes, the simpler solutions are the best. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

reply to post by Indigent


8 days later you have the full amount of water you put in yay! Well, if it was a large amount.

The only downsides Is see to this is, one, it needs to be freshly cut. And in most developing countries that NEED water, people can't just be chopping off limbs of trees everyday since onces it's used it seems that it can't be used again ...

Why not just boil the water? or boil under a tarp and let the steam rise and drip into another container.

reply to post by strongfp


if you are a hiker and get lost this could be useful, something else to know in any case

Indigent
reply to post by strongfp

 

if you are a hiker and get lost this could be useful, something else to know in any case

I am an avid hiker. And have used the steam-tarp-trick many times. If I am going to be equiped enough to carry around a rubber tube with a clamp I'm gonna have a small pot or metal coffee mug to boil water in.

Although, I guess in extreme cases where I would need to scrounge up stuff from nothing it would be quite useful.

I wonder, would water acquire a taste as it goes through the wood?

Cool trick though