SLINTEC signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cargills Ceylon PLC

In many developing countries including Sri Lanka, drinking water especially in certain areas are contaminated with bacteria, viruses, heavy metals and chemical pollutants. Water filtration provides an affordable solution for this issue.

Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology Pvt. Ltd. (SLINTEC) partnered with Newcastle University (NU) U.K and Monash University Malaysia (MUM) to come up with an innovative solution enabling access to clean drinking water by introducing a portable low cost compact design water filter unit that could fit any standard polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle to be used anywhere and by anyone.

Recently, SLINTEC entered in to a technology commercialization partnership agreement with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cargills Ceylon PLC to commercialize this innovation paving the way for a solution that is effective, cheap and simple addressing a major health and wellbeing concern in Sri Lanka and beyond that affects low income households. 

The filter unit is an adaptor which can be screwed and fitted into any day-to-day used bottle PET or cola bottles. It primarily consists of an electro spun nano fibrous membrane preventing any bacteria larger than a defined pore size from passing through. High surface area and the surface porosity helps to remove heavy metals as well. As a second line-of-defense, this membrane is integrated with an active nano-material-incorporated activated carbon column, which helps to adsorb Bisphenol A (BPA) while acting as an antimicrobial agent.

Unlike other available portable solutions in Sri Lanka (and regional countries), this filter removes contaminants including heavy metals at an affordable price.

This pragmatic innovation has tremendous potential in benefitting many households enabling access to clean drinking water for all.