Picture:
This picture shows the removal of arsenic using pieces of water bottles. Arsenic in water is a serious problem, and this is a new solution to help fight the issue.
Summary:
Arsenic in people's water supply is a major issue, and it is getting worse. The American Chemical Society discovered that close to 100 million people are exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic from thier water. This is a potentially life threatening problem, but it is very expensive to fix. Therefore, a cheap solution is needed. Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi discovered that using pieces of plastic bottles and a nutrient in dietary supplements is a cheap way to make water safe enough to drink. "Our process uses pieces of plastic water, soda pop and other beverage bottles. Coat the pieces with cysteine -- that's an amino acid found in dietary supplements and foods -- and stir the plastic in arsenic-contaminated water," said Tongesayi about the solution. The cysteine takes in the arsenic, so it is absorbed into the plastic. Then the water is drinkable for everyone. An experiment showed that in water containing 20 ppb of arsenic the plastic bottle and cysteine strategy brought the amount of arsenic down to 0.2 ppb. Plastic bottles are easily accessable and the addition of cysteine is an easy process, so giving clean, arsenic free water to everyone is now possible. Researchers are unsure of what negative effects this solution could have in the future, but for now this is the least expensive and most effective way to produce clean water.
Reflection:
I was very surprised when I read this article because I never knew that there was a possible solution for arsenic contamination in water. In class, we learned about different chemical contaminants in water, and arsenic is one that is located in many water supplies. I find it wonderful that using plastic bottles, a resource that so many people have, is a solution to such a terrible problem. Most people say that plastic bottles only hurt the environment, and they have no good qualities, but the bottles are helping to allow everyone the oppurtunity to drink clean water. My mom typically buys bottled water, and I usually say that we should use tap water because it is better for the environment and that bottled water has no positive impact on the environment. Now, I know I am wrong because the bottles do help the environment a major way. The bottles and cysteine may not always be the best solution, but for now it is making a huge difference to people who need clean water.
Questions:
1. Do you think this is a good solution to the problem of arsenic in water? Why?
2.Would you continue to buy products in plastic bottles knowing they have a positive impact on the environment?
3. Why do you think the use of plastic bottles will not be the best solution in the future?
I think that using plastic bottles is only necessary when there is high levels of arsenic in the water. Plastic bottles have many negative impacts that in my opinion, are not worth getting rid of arsenic. Watching the video on bottled water makes me realize that the water in the bottles may be the same as the tap and so therefore I do not agree with using more bottled waters.
ReplyDeletePara 2
I would not continue to buy palstic bottles because getting rid of the arsenic is not worth all of the money and the damage that bottled waters cause.
I think that is great news that they have found a way to reduce arsenic in water.I think that they should definitely use this process in Bangladesh to help their issue with aresenic in the wells. This process could save lives for all of the people suffering from diseases. Hopefully this will prevent the illnesses that arsenic can cause. I was surprised to find that water bottles can actually have a use that benifits the environment.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 3
I would not continue to buy water bottles even after reading this. After everything I learned in class about the production of bottled water it has made me think differently about it. I think they could come up with a different suppstance then using bottled water because even though it did help a major crisis, bottled water has many negatives that comes along with it. For example the chemicals that are in the plastic and seep into the water.
Summary:
ReplyDeleteThis is great to hear that Tongesayi figured out a cheap and easy way to reduce the amount of arsenic in the water. We actually watched a video in science about chemicals in water. In Bangladesh, people are dying and getting diseases because they do not have clean drinking water. I hope this solution spreads all throughout the world and especially Bangladesh. This method is cheap and it is the most effective way to produce water. This can really help the future of our county because more and more people will be able to have clean water to drink every day. Water bottles' plastic is actually doing something good for the environment. I am really happy that the plastic is doing something positive for the environment and helping people survive.
Reaction:
Answer question 1
Yes, I believe this is a great solution for the problem of arsenic in water. This is a cheap and affective way to do something positive. Our drinking water will be more clean by this method and it saves money and time. People all over the globe can benefit from this, and in the long run our country can become a better place to live.
By: Rohan Varma
Summary:
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting way to get rid of arsenic in the water. I never would have thought that plastic, which normally pollutes the oceans, is actually cleaning out the arsenic. It is a great and creative way to oust the arsenic in the water and it makes me think that Bangladesh should use this approach to clean the arsenic out of their water. I still wonder thought whether this is an all beneficial approach. I have some doubts with the process, but hopefully I am proved wrong.
Questions:
2. After watching the water video in school I basically never want to drink from bottled water again. Even if the plastic does help the environment in a way, it is very small compared to the damage it does. Plastic continually pollutes the water and I don't know how I feel about using it to make the water clean of arsenic.