[Pharmwaste] Using ultrasound on pharms in wastewater

[Thompson.Virginia at epamail.epa.gov]

Here is a link to an article in CNNMoney.com about using ultrasound to
purify water, a research project at Villanova University (in suburban
Philadelphia).  Dr. Rominder Suri is testing ultrasound's ability to
eliminate certain classes of pharmaceuticals (estrogens) from water at
wastewater treatment plants.  The article should also be in Business 2.0
magazine.  Dr. Suri can be reached at rominder.suri at villanova.edu .

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0701/gallery.8greentechs/6.html

Title:   "Sonic Water Purifier"
                                                                         
 6. Sonic water purifier                                                 
                                                                         
                                                                         
 Here's a sci-fi solution for an age-old problem that leaves 1.1 billion 
 people without access to clean water: Beam ultrasound waves into        
 polluted water, blowing up the cellular walls and carbon bonds of       
 contaminants. What's left is a cool drink of fresh H2O.                 
                                                                         
                                                                         
 Filters and chemicals are normally used to purify dirty water, but      
 researchers are experimenting with ultrasound technology as a cheaper   
 alternative. Ultrasound waves have already been used to break up sewage 
 in sanitation systems.                                                  
                                                                         
                                                                         
 Now that the probes that produce the sound waves are getting more       
 powerful, however, scientists are retooling the devices to              
 decontaminate large tanks of water, a process called sonolysis.         
                                                                         
                                                                         
 The goal is twofold. First, portable sonolysis machines could be        
 deployed to isolated villages in developing countries. In urban areas,  
 meanwhile, sonolysis could treat water tainted with industrial          
 pollution. Scientists like Villanova University's Rominder Suri are     
 studying how sound waves can break down chemicals into less harmful     
 components, detoxifying wastewater.                                     
                                                                         




Virginia Thompson
Sustainable Healthcare Sector Coordinator
Office of Environmental Innovation (3EA40)
US Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA  19103
Voice:  (215) 814-5755; Fax (215) 814-2783
thompson.virginia at epa.gov