Ceramic water filters impregnated with silver nanoparticles as a point-of-use water-treatment intervention for HIV-positive individuals in Limpopo Province, South Africa: a pilot study of technological performance and human health benefits

Abstract

Waterborne pathogens present a significant threat to people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). This study presents a randomized, controlled trial that evaluates whether a household-level ceramic water filter (CWF) intervention can improve drinking water quality and decrease days of diarrhea in PLWH in rural South Africa. Seventy-four participants were randomized in an intervention group with CWFs and a control group without filters. Participants in the CWF arm received CWFs impregnated with silver nanoparticles and associated safe-storage containers. Water and stool samples were collected at baseline and 12 months. Diarrhea incidence was self-reported weekly for 12 months. The average diarrhea rate in the control group was 0.064 days/week compared to 0.015 days/week in the intervention group (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney). Median reduction of total coliform bacteria was 100% at enrollment and final collection. CWFs are an acceptable technology that can significantly improve the quality of household water and decrease days of diarrhea for PLWH in rural South Africa.

Engineered nanomaterials for water treatment and remediation: Costs, benefits, and applicability

“…The importance of nanoscale silver-coated porous ceramic pots to communities in developing economies for filtering and sterilizing drinking water has been demonstrated by several studies [15,[490][491][492]. A recent study by Mellor et al compared the longterm effectiveness of this technology to that of a more conventional method of keeping water sterile [16].…”

Bactericidal activity and silver release of porous ceramic candle filter prepared by sintering silica with silver nanoparticles/zeolite for water disinfection

“…Based on the silver content released from the PCCF/AgNPs into water of about <1 μg L −1 as presented in table 2, it can be theoretically calculated that one PCCF/AgNPs could be used to filtrate about 100 m 3 water. Recently, Abebe et al [26] reported that household-level ceramic water filter intervention can improve drinking water quality and decrease days of diarrhea for people living with the human immunodeficiency virus in rural South Africa. Therefore, the as-produced PCCF/AgNPs with highly bactericidal activity can be recommended to the communities to apply for POU drinking water treatment.…”

Enhanced uptake of antibiotic resistance genes in the presence of nanoalumina

“…Nano-Al 2 O 3 could be used as an abrasive material, an absorbent material, in biomaterials and in antibacterial materials (Zielínski et al 1993;Ganguly and Poole 2003;Martínez et al 2003;Sadiq et al 2009). One of the most important applications of nano-Al 2 O 3 currently is as a good absorber for drinking water and wastewater treatment, because nano-Al 2 O 3 has a greater adsorption capacity for contaminants compared with other materials (Abebe et al 2014;Hernández et al 2014;Kumar et al 2011;Afkhami et al 2010;Kasprzyk-Hordern 2004). Some studies reported that the concentration range of nanoalumina particles used in wastewater treatment plants to defluorinate aqueous solutions or remove heavy metals from water was 1 mg/L to 100 g/L, and the particle size was in the 10-100 nm range (Kumar et al 2011;Rahmani et al 2010;Afkhami et al 2010).…”