Browsing by Author "Nyathi, Makhosazana"

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    “Appropriate Technology for the 21st Century: Technological Innovation to Empower Africa”
    (2014-11-25) Dube, Donatus; Parekh, Champaklal T.; Siangwata, Sherpherd; Nyathi, Makhosazana
    Low-income earners in Zimbabwe’s rural areas currently depend, to a very large extent, on water from rivers, wells, dams and boreholes. Water from all these sources is contaminated in one form or the other by the anthropogenic as well as natural pollutants and in many cases is unsuitable for human consumption. Over the past decade, an increasing number of field-based studies have been undertaken to determine the success of point – of – use (POU) treatment measures in reducing waterborne diseases. However for poor communities in rural areas of Zimbabwe such interventions have remained largely ineffective due to availability and application challenges, lack of support, resistance due to cultural stigmas and mere ignorance. The aim of this research was to provide a simple POU solution to water quality problems in the rural communities of Zimbabwe. Thermally converted magnetite particle material with nanoporosity was used to construct rudimentary filters for use by villagers. Both laboratory and village scale tests were conducted. Results revealed that filters constructed using nano-porous magnetite material were very effective for microbiological and chemical pollution control in water and can be used successfully and sustainably by poor communities in the rural areas.