Recent Comment
Share
IBM has unveiled a new nanotechnology that can both rid our water supply of toxins and desalinate salt water. IBM calls the filtering membrane a "water superhighway" because it removes toxins like arsenic from contaminated water at a greater rate as the pH level increases.
As water flows through the membrane, salts and toxins are removed so that only pure water remains when it makes it through. The membrane is also resistant to chlorine damage. This technology isn't new to IBM, just new in this application. The same chemistry and nanotech has been used in their PC semiconductor chips.
Beyond this water-scrubbing membrane, IBM also introduced a whole series of water management services to help in the measurement, monitoring and metering of water levels, contamination and usage for businesses and governments. Water quality and availability is often overlooked as we focus on other environmental issues, but it's becoming clearer that water issues need to be a priority as well. You can read about the various things IBM is doing to help here.
via GoodCleanTech
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by russ, March 21, 2009
http://www.ibm.com/news/qa/en/2008/02/me_en_news_20080226.html
What they are doing is good - but business as usual.
-
- +0
-
-
written by sloane, March 23, 2009
"Basically, in trying to develop a more efficient computer chip, the company recognized that the same thinking that led to a more efficient computer chip could be used to regulate water usage more efficiently on a large scale. This is a brand in touch with itself and in touch with its history."
Here's a link to the full post.
If this is a case of greenwashing, though...maybe it's a better case of a would-be brandover that doesn't cut deep enough...
-
- +0
-
-
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Reverse osmosis in conjunction with filters is commonly used to remove trace elements (such as arsenic) from a water stream. I have such a unit in my home.
A reverse osmosis unit tends to waste something like 75% of the water treated - this effluent stream is more polluted due to the increased concentration of contaminants. Some companies feed this back into the unit inlet and claim wonderful things but have simply shortened the membrane & filter life.
I read nothing about nano tech in the article.
There are two types of membrane normally used - one of which is not affected by chlorine.