This work describes a novel method to embed silver in ceramic porous media in the form of metallic silver nanopatches. This method has been applied to develop a new POU technology, a silver-infused ceramic tablet that provides long-term water disinfection. The tablet is fabricated using clay, water, sawdust, and silver nitrate. When dropped into a household water storage container, the ceramic tablet releases silver ions at a controlled rate that in turn disinfect microbial pathogens. Characterization of the silver-embedded ceramic media was performed using transmission electron microscopy. Spherical-shaped patches of metallic silver were observed at 1–6 nm diameters and confirmed to be silver with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Disinfection experiments in a 10 L water volume demonstrated a 3 log reduction of Escherichia coli within 8 h while silver levels remained below the World Health Organization drinking water standard (0.1 mg/L). Silver release rate varied with clay mineralogy, sawdust particle size, and initial silver mass. Silver release was repeatable for daily 10 L volumes for 154 days. Results suggest the ceramic tablet can be used to treat a range of water volumes. This technology shows great potential to be a low-cost, simple-to-use water treatment method to provide microbiologically safe drinking water at the household level.

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The two goals of this project were to develop a household water purification method and to provide a framework for sustaining this technology in a low-income community. According to the World Health Organization, waterborne diseases are a leading cause of illness and death in developing countries. Over 1.1 billion people across the world lack access to an improved water supply, leading to diseases that disproportionately affect children. Water purification methods used in high-income nations are neither economically nor technically feasible in low-income countries. As a result, there is a critical need for inexpensive, appropriate water purification technologies. The system developed was tested in Tourou, Cameroon.

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