A Novel Arsenic Filtration System for Low-Income Families in Rural Bangladesh

Over 200 million people globally are affected by arsenic-contaminated water.Moreover, groundwater from tube wells is often contaminated with arsenic which, if ingested, can result in diarrhea, blood vessel diseases, and cancers.Arsenic filtration processes, like the SONO filter, 3-Kolshi filter, and ion exchange methods are promising developments that significantly reduce arsenic levels.However, cost, maintenance, and availability of these methods prevent many low-income families from using them.The aim of this project is to engineer a novel filtration system that significantly reduces arsenic and is maintainable and affordable for poverty-stricken populations.In this project, laterite soil was substituted for iron as the method of arsenic filtration to reduce costs.Through analysis, the constructed One Step Red Soil Filtration (OSRSF) was found superior to the 3-Kolshi filter, making it an economically beneficial option for poor people to have safe drinking water.