Water is one crucial natural resource since life on our planet depends on it. Safe drinking water is vital for human existence and good quality of life. The transmission of serious diseases through pathogenic microorganisms in water is extremely common in the developing world and the antimicrobial resistance has increased globally. The understanding of new processes that guarantee effectively the elimination of resistant microorganisms and access to safe drinking water, is therefore of utmost importance, thus a priority in H2020 programme.
Sanitation and fetching water are one of the major challenges faced in overcoming gender inequalities. In Africa, women do 90% of the work of gathering water. Providing access to clean water close to home can reduce women’s workloads, and free up time for other activities. In 12% of households children carry the main responsibility for collecting water, with girls less than 15 years of age being twice as likely to carry this responsibility as boys.
The scientific aim of Porous carbon materials for Solar photoElectrolytic Disinfection (SED) project is the development of a new sustainable methodology for water treatment. It will be the first time that Ordered Mesoporous Carbons and carbon foam are used in a solar photoelectrolytic disinfection system. The societal aims are to contribute to the reduction of the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. SED project proposes an advanced oxidation process combined with specific carbon materials, which can operate under ambient temperature and pressure. Oxygen and water will be used as oxidant without the addition of consumable chemicals and without generation of potential mutagenic disinfection byproducts (as from chlorination or ozonation). If one uses solar energy to drive the photoelectrolytic process then it becomes a truly clean technology.
The multidisciplinary perspective adopted, combining biological sciences, advanced materials synthesis, chemistry processes and engineering, allows useful and scientifically cooperative interactions to achieve the best results. The aims of SED project are included into both principles of H2020, contributing to the development of advanced material architectures for the use of solar energy for safe water disinfection, within the sustainable limits of the planet's natural resources and eco-systems.
