Abstract
Every minute 3.5 children die world wide due to inadequate drinking water. Due to this horrific fact, the Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit (EWMRU) was researched, invented, designed, engineered, manufactured and tested to eradicate all harmful contaminants from drinking water. The EWMRU uses span from potable drinking water to wound care and injury treatment. Ozone Oxidation/Disinfection is the heart of the operation, which is one of seven different stages of treatment, including: sand filtration, micro z filtration, multi-media filtration, carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection. The Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit itself is self-contained in a 21 foot, custom built dual axle trailer that can be towed behind a typical pickup truck or air lifted to any location from which to pull water. One mobile unit produces 21,000 gallons of safe drinking water per day. This unit is equipped with a 15,000 Watt generator and a heating/air conditioning system to allow the unit to function independently in extreme fluctuating temperatures. It is equipped with laboratory facilities to be used to test water and determine which stages of treatment are needed before starting the water purification process. The lab work recognized by our engineers has been validated. Water tests done on the unit in Metro Vancouver, Canada found Ecoli at 60 MPN/100mLs and Coliform at >2093 MPN/100mLs in the sample test water. After treating the water with the EWMRU, both were decreased to <1>
Introduction
Every minute 3.5 children die world wide due to inadequate drinking water. Due to this horrific fact, the Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit (EWMRU) was researched, invented, designed, engineered, manufactured and tested to eradicate all harmful contaminants from drinking water.
Sanitary water is the most essential substance for the victims of any disaster. The minimum bare vital amount of water for sufficient dietary, body hydration, minimal hygiene, and related purposes is considered to be three gallons per day per person with anticipation of a three day interruption in public sanitary supply within economically developed areas. Third world countries do not even have this amount of life giving water on an average daily basis.
On-line reservoirs of water cannot be relied on because once the public water supply is contaminated, all on-line reservoirs are generally also rendered unusable before there is a reasonable opportunity to disengage and obstruct pollution. The volume of sanitary water required during disasters makes use of bottled water impractical and expensive. The tsunami of December 2004 located in Southeast Asia unfolded in front of our eyes and had undeniable catastrophic effects around the world. According to National Geographic, over 35,000 people died and over 400,000 were displaced [1]. The fact is that humans have less than 0.08% of the Earth’s water available to them for consumption. Over the next two decades human water usage is expected to increase by about 40% and water shortages are set to soar. If we are to feed the world, the World Water Council believes that by 2020 we shall need 17% more water than is available [2].
Material & Methods
The heart of the Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit (EWMRU) is the use of ozone technology. It generates up to 21,000 gallons of water per day and has the flexibility to allow the operator to select individual stages of treatment. These individualized settings allow for the most effective use of the mobile technology accessible through the EWMRU. There are a total of seven different stages of treatment to ensure the safest possible water for human consumption. Each unit completely removes or reduces to safe levels all the known contaminants in the world such as: bacteria, viruses, cysts, o-cysts, organics, inorganics, and chemicals.
The Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit itself is self-contained in a 21 foot, custom built dual axle trailer that can be towed behind a typical pickup truck or air lifted to any location from which to pull water. One mobile unit produces 21,000 gallons of safe drinking water per day. This unit is equipped with a 15,000 Watt generator and a heating/air conditioning system to allow the unit to function independently in extreme fluctuating temperatures. It also has laboratory facilities to be used to test water and determine which stages of treatment are needed before starting the water purification process.
ORP--"REDOX" Oxidation Reduction Potential
Oxidation reduction potential is the key to the ozone heart of the EWMRU. ORP or "REDOX" stands for oxidation-reduction potential. The two chemical actions involved, "oxidation" and "reduction", always occur together.
Although originally referred only to the action of oxygen, the term "oxidation" now refers to any chemical action in which electrons are transferred between atoms. The atom that loses an electron is said to be "oxidized". The atom that gains an electron is said to be "reduced", because in picking up that extra electron, it loses the electrical energy that makes it "hungry" for more electrons.
Sanitizing Effects of Oxidizers
Chemicals like chlorine, bromine and ozone, are all strong oxidizers. It is their ability to oxidize or to steal electrons from other substances that makes them good sanitizers. The sanitizing action is caused by the alteration of the chemical make-up of unwanted organisms. Oxidizers literally burn off germs, bacteria and other organic material in water, leaving as a by-product a few harmless chemicals.
Of course, in the process of oxidizing, all of these oxidizers are reduced thus losing their ability to continue oxidizing other things; eventually, they may combine with other substances in the Water, or their electrical charge may be simply used up. To make sure that the chemical process continues to the very end, it is necessary to have a high enough concentration of oxidizer in the water to do the whole job.
Potential Energy
"Potential" is a word that refers to ability rather than action. Potential energy is energy that is stored and ready to be put to work. It is not actually working, but it is known that the energy is there if needed. Another word for potential is pressure.
In electrical terms, potential energy is measured in volts. Actual energy (current flow) is measured in amps. When a voltmeter is stationed across the leads of a battery, the reading is the difference in electrical pressure, the potential energy between the two poles. This pressure represents the excess electrons present at one pole of the battery (caused, incidentally by a chemical reaction within the battery) ready to flow to the opposite pole. When the term potential is used in describing ORP, it is actually discussing electrical potential or voltage.
Understanding ORP Readings
ORP meters readings are very tiny voltages generated when a metal is placed in water in the presence of oxidizing and reducing agents. These voltage readings give an indication of the ability of the oxidizers present in the water to keep it free from contaminants.
An ORP probe is a millivoltmeter, measuring the voltage across a circuit formed by the measuring electrode (the positive pole of the circuit), and a reference electrode (the negative pole), with the water in between.
The measuring electrode (+) of the probe, is usually made of platinum, although other noble metals (which do not oxidize easily), such as gold, could be used. When this platinum electrode is placed in water with the presence of oxidizing agents, electrons are constantly transferred back-and-forth on its surface, generating a tiny voltage.
The reference electrode (-), usually made of silver, is surrounded by a saline (electrolyte) solution, which produces another tiny voltage. The voltage produced by the reference electrode is constant as well as stable. This voltage is the reference against which the voltage generated by the platinum and the oxidizers in the water is compared.
When used with an ozone-based sanitation system, an ORP measuring device will not specifically indicate the ozone concentration in parts per million. It will however, indicate the effectiveness of the ozone as an oxidizer.
ORP readings will vary as PH fluctuates. As the PH goes up, the millivolt reading on an ORP meter will go down, indicating that the sanitizer is not as effective. Bringing the PH down or adding more sanitizer raises the millivolt reading.
ORP Standards
In 1968, a laboratory study by Carlson, Hasselbarth and Mecke of the Water Hygiene Institute of the German Federal Health Office showed that the rate of killing Ecoli organisms in Water is dependent on ORP and not on the free residual Ozone level [3]. At a Redox level of 650Mv the kill time of Ecoli is just a fraction of a second, but increases rapidly to several hours at lower ORP values. (500Mv-1HOUR)
In 1971, the World Health Organization adopted an ORP standard for Drinking Water Disinfection of 650 Millivolts [4]. That is, the WHO stated that when Oxidation-Reduction-Potential (ORP) in a body of Water measures 650/1000 (about 2/3) of a volt, the sanitizer in the Water is active enough to destroy harmful organisms almost instantaneously [4].
In Germany, which has about the strictest Water-Quality standards in the World, an ORP level of 650 millivolts was established by the Deutsche Institut fur Normung (DIN) Standard 19643, as the minimum standard for public pools in 1982 and DIN Standard 19644 for public spas in 1984 [3]. France and most other European Countries have since adopted these standards.
The Oregon Study
The results of an extensive study on 30 public and semi-public pools and spas in metropolitan Portland, Oregon, were presented at the 1985 meeting of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) by James C. Brown, of the Oregon Health Department and Professor Eric W. Mood of the Yale University School of Medicine[5].
Their conclusions should convince the most incredulous. “ORP has been shown to be a monitoring parameter which takes into account the numerous water chemistry constituents that can affect overall bactericidal efficacy (i.e. PH, free chlorine residual, cyanuric acid concentration, organic and nitrogenous material loading etc.) and converts them into a single value (i.e. millivolts) which can continuously and reliably indicate acceptable bacterial quality.”
A review of the data shows that whenever the ORP is 650 Mv or more, the water is well within bacteriological standards. The example of these two testimonies may have been with pools and spas, but the concept of water purification utilizing ozone technologies remains the same for potable water necessities.
Water Treatment with a Heart
Making ozone technology mobile has finally come to pass within the constraints of the EWMRU. The human heart is the center of life saving bodily operations by in taking low oxygenized blood and infusing it with oxygen before sending it back into the body. Ozone technology is the heart of treating contaminated water. The following figure is the design concept for the EWMRU.
As discussed with ORP, Ozone is capable of destroying all known pathogens which affect drinking water. Within the EWMRU other treatments are available to assist with pre and post filtration of the water and aid the ozone disinfection and oxidation capabilities. This allows the operator to select specific forms of treatment, which may or may not require ozone. Many contaminants can be eliminated or reduced to safe levels without ozone. What makes this unit unique is that it makes ozone mobile and available in any circumstance, which was not done before. In an emergency situation, many different contaminants are present and often ozone is part of the treatment process.
Components
The 15 GPM EWMRU is comprised of a custom designed and built 21 foot dual axel trailer, a 15,000 Watt power generator, 100 Amp panel, comes installed with heating and air conditioning units to allow usage in extreme fluctuating temperature, on-board laboratory facilities for testing of water before and after treatment, a series of pumps, an ozone contact system, mobile disinfection system, which can be removed and rolled to specific location, 15 GPM Sand filter and backwash, 15 GPM multi-media filter and backwash, 15 GPM sediment filter and backwash, as well as 15 GPM carbon filter and backwash. The unit also comes equipped with a UV system and reverse osmosis (RO [for salt water]) system. The trailer is installed with electrical necessities and plumbing needs which are customized to the location of use. Below is a figure of the system diagram to better understand the layout of the unit’s interior.
Process
The unit is first pulled by basic pick-up truck or air lifted to the disaster location. It is then started up within 15 minutes by one operator. There is a 40 gallon gas tank to allow for travel and operational needs. If electricity is available, the unit could be plugged in to conserve on its self maintained energy supply. The 15,000 Watt generator is gas powered. The water source provided could be a lake, river, pool, or any other water supply. The available water would then be tested using onboard laboratory facilities. The operator would consult the flow chart and ABC standards found in the provided user manual to determine which treatments are necessary for purifying the given water source.
All treatment options can be used individually or in any combination with one another. Water is supplied through an inlet on the exterior of the trailer and sent through pumps before arriving at the first filtration station. Depending on which treatment processes have been deemed necessary, the valves located along the ceiling of the unit are opened to include the determined treatment option or left closed and inline, leading to the drain or water outlet, also on the exterior of the trailer.
Jugs or other water containers would be sanitized using the mobile ozone disinfection unit before being filled with purified drinking water. Prior to filling public water containers, the ORP reading needs to be monitored and kept higher than 650 Mv to ensure potablility. The elimination of pre-packaged individualized bottled water saves time, money, and waste materials, which is better for the environment and eases the financial burden, which is great during any disaster relief effort. Below is a flow chart which shows the match up between the system diagram and eradicated contaminants (see figure 3).
Eliminated or Reduced Contaminants
The following contaminants are eliminated or reduced to safe levels using the EWMRU as designed and manufactured: turbidity, coliform bacteria, viruses, giardia lamblia, beta particle & photon activity, gross alpha, radium 226 & 228, radon, uranium, adipates, alachlor, Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Atrazine, benz(a)anthraceme, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)-flouranthene, butyl benzyl pathalate, carbonfuran, carbon tetrachloride, chlordane, chrysene, 2,4-D; Dalapon, di[2-ethylhexyl]adipate, dibenz(a,h)anthraceme, Dibromochloropropane, dirbromochloropane, dichlorobenzene(ortho-), dichlorobenzene(meta-), dichlorobenzene(para-), Dichlorethane(1,2-), Dichloroethylene(1,1-), Dichloroethylene(cis-1,2-), dichloromethane(trans-1,2-), dichlormethane(methylene chloride), Dichloropropane (1,2-), Diethylhexyl phthalate (PAE), Dinoseb, Diquat, Endothall, Endrin, Ethylebenzene, ethylene dibromide(EDB), Glyphosate, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, indeo(1,2,3-c,d)pyrenem Lindane, Methoxychlor, monchlorobenzene, Oxamyl(vydate), pentachlorophenol, Picloram, polychlorinated byphenyls, Simarzine, styrene, 2,3,7,8-TCDD (dioxin), Tetrachloroethy-lene, toluene, Toxaphene, (2,4,5-TP silver), Trichlorobenzene(1,2,4), trichloroethane(1,1,1-), trichloroethane(1,1,2-), trichloroethylene, trihalomethanes(THMs), chloroform, bromodichloromathane, dibromochloromathane, Bromoform, vinyl chloride, xylenes(total),antimony, arsenic(+3,+5, organic complexes), asbestos, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium (+3, +6, organic complexes), copper, cyanide, fluoride, lead, mercury(+2, HgCl3-1, Organic complexes), nickel, Nitrate plus nitrite (as nitrogen), Nitrite, selenium (+4, +6), sulfate, aluminum, chloride, color, foaming agents(MBAS 0.5 methylene blue active substances), Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, ferrous ion, ferric ion, manganese, manganese oxidized, odor, silver, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and zinc.
Verified Tests Results
Monday the 10th of December 2007 the Emergency Water Mobile Response Unit was challenged in Vancouver Metro, Canada.
The designer of the EWMRU was asked to give a presentation of the unit and update newly acquired employees with proper training. A portion of the program was a field test performed to satisfy the Health Department of Canada. Provided for testing was a ditch with stagnant yellow and brown polluted water that smelled awful and included rats floating on top.
Testing of the effluent Water had to be performed by the Microbiology Quality Control Division of the Metro Vancouver.
A sample from this ditch, which showed later in the laboratory (see Figure 4) a count of 2093 MPN/100mLs of Total Coliform and 60 MPN/100mLs of Ecoli. MPN (Most Probable Number from serial dilution) could have been fatal if consumed.
As if miraculously, the samples taken after starting up of the EWMRU and running the water through the seven stage treatment showed <1>
The Microbiology QC Division stated that, “the effluent of the EWMRU using this tremendous bad water source had even exceeded the drinking water quality in the Vancouver Metro.” (110%)
Conclusion
In conclusion, disaster-relief efforts require rapid response to support the immediate needs of victims by working with local, national, and international responders. The only economical and practical solution to the water contamination during the time of disaster is to use the local water resources. Potential sources of water would need to be treated prior to human consumption and that is why every community needs one or more Emergency Water Mobile Response Units on hand. Previous and ongoing outbreaks of waterborne diseases reveal the susceptibility of both the water supply and the general public’s health to pollution of drinking water [6]. This seven stage water filtration system, which utilizes ozone as the heart of the operation, supersedes any necessitate devised by natural or terroristic disasters and water contamination by converting all water into potable water. It is the findings of this research that global marketing of the EWMRU would save not only time and money during a disaster, but it would also save precious lives.
References
- ILO Sri Lanka, World Vision Sri Lanka Tsunami Response, www.wvasiapacific.org, (2005).
- World Water Council, www.worldwatercouncil.org, (2008).
- Deutsche Institut fur Normung, http://www.techstreet.com/, (2008).
- World Health Organization, www.who.int, (2008).
- Brown & Mood, National Environmental Health, www.neha.org, (2008).
- Liebert, The Biological Threat to US Water Supplies, Biosecurity & Bioterrorism, 4 (2), 147-159 (2006).
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