Biofilter

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Fatima

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Feb 16, 2018, 12:58:28 PM2/16/18
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Hello everyone,

I have to make a biofilter that consists of bacteria to produce drinkable water. And my question is, is this possible?
And if so, does someone know how I can make it?

Thanks for your attention. I’m looking forward to your reply,


Fatima

Dakota Hamill

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Feb 16, 2018, 1:08:45 PM2/16/18
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Normally the point of filters is to remove bacteria.  I can understand the desire to use certain bacteria that are capable of degrading polutants of many types but, even in systems where that happens as in wastewater treatment there are multiple chemical and physical treatments that happen prior to returning the water to our faucets.  

The only space shot idea on the fly I can think of is fungal mycelial networks that are non spurolating, so think Oysters, that create a natural membrane with pore sizes small enough to trap bacterial cells.

Many companies have already put oyster mycelia to work in construction and packing materials.  

You could conduct an experiment quite easily.  Grow disks or mats of mycelial, dry them out, plug them into some vessel, and filter water through it.

You could use an electron microscope to clarify pore size or just do CFU solutions to see if the natural filter does anything at all to trap bacteria.

Can you clarify whether you are just trying to degrade chemical pollutants or what your goal is?  


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Lee Nelson

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Feb 16, 2018, 1:34:20 PM2/16/18
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Here is a search for 'mycorestoration water filter'. This approach uses fungus. Maybe a similar strategy can be used with bacteria. You could embed the bacteria is some kind of scaffolding or move the liquid from one tank to another with some separation technique. It could be useful to have a multistage biofilter with other organisms like algae. 
  The search 'myco water filter' also had good results.

djwr...@gmail.com

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Feb 16, 2018, 1:38:58 PM2/16/18
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On Feb 16, 2018, at 10:34 AM, Lee Nelson <technol...@gmail.com> wrote:

Here is a search for 'mycorestoration water filter'. This approach uses fungus. Maybe a similar strategy can be used with bacteria. You could embed the bacteria is some kind of scaffolding or move the liquid from one tank to another with some separation technique. It could be useful to have a multistage biofilter with other organisms like algae. 
  The search 'myco water filter' also had good results.

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Kermit Henson

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Feb 17, 2018, 4:19:14 AM2/17/18
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Any pictures of the filter or url?

If there is filter based on bacteria or fungus to produce drinkable water, it should be relatively big. Also, an FDA or EMA approval, no?
The osmosis systems for home are relatively big and dont produce an amount enough to use only that filtered water.

Taking as a reference the ones you can find in aquariums (semi-closed system), I dont believe is really working or doing anything. But more info please, I really want be wrong.

John Griessen

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Feb 17, 2018, 10:41:08 AM2/17/18
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On 02/16/2018 05:05 AM, Fatima wrote:
> I have to make a biofilter that consists of bacteria to produce drinkable water. And my question is, is this possible?
> And if so, does someone know how I can make it?

Koi pond operators often build sand filters where the top layer is a bacterial mat. They need constant flow, or at least
surges every so often to keep that ecosystem happy. It's not ready to drink though -- you'd need further treatment for
heavy metals, something to take out smells, algae zones to oxygenate and have a different set of bacteria in that stage...

And to be safe it would have to have many stages in series with a big delay, and testing along the way for pathogens,
parasitic creatures, and making sure conditions are always wrong for bad bugs to grow, since it is all live ecosystems
working for you. Seems like a good life goal -- no quick answers here.

Skyler Gordon

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Feb 17, 2018, 8:18:48 PM2/17/18
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I’m a little confused on the idea of adding bacteria to produce clean water.

It’s sort of like mixing our urine and feces with a bunch of water, so we can then try to purify the water from the waste. Common practice, but not necessarily the best possible solution.

Everyone here has had some great ideas and input, but I think the solution lies at the beginning of your problem - what exactly are you trying to remove, and can you do that in an aerobic environment.

-SG

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Bryan Jones

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Mar 5, 2018, 2:07:39 PM3/5/18
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It might be tricky to make a biofilter that will generally purify all pollutants/toxins/infectious agents from water, but there is definitely work to use biofilters to remove particular pollutants or toxins. I'm sure there are many others, but one group (Larry Wackett's group) I've worked with has done quite a bit in this direction. 
A couple of their papers.
Using encapsulated bacteria to break down hydrocarbons: here
Using encapsulated bacteria to break down cyanuric acid (a pollutant that builds up in pools) here

(If you need the pdf, pm me)

Paul Rosero

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Mar 6, 2018, 2:00:59 PM3/6/18
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Hi Bryan Jones, 

i'd really appreciate if you send those PDF's, 
thanks in advance!

Paul 

Dakota Hamill

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Mar 6, 2018, 9:02:57 PM3/6/18
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