Aqua-Nu’s research centres on the following areas:

• Filtration of micro-organisms responsible for water-borne diseases on par with domestic reverse osmosis filtration systems
• Filtration of chlorine and inorganic contaminants at least on par with market leading brands of domestic jug filters
• Inclusion of anti-microbial activity within the filtration media to prevent blooming of microbes during the life of the patented ULTRA HIGH FLOW RATE CERAMIC
• Inclusion of anti-microbial capacity within the mouthpiece of the PURITYCAP® to prevent growth of any microbes introduced by mouth contact with bottle top filter device (PURITYCAP®)
• Flexibility of design of patented ULTRA HIGH FLOW RATE CERAMIC filter to allow fitment of different sizes of ceramic to a range of devices, including Water Jug Filter, PET Bottle Top Filter (PURITYCAP®) and cold water tap filter (PURITYTAP)
• Low cost and affordability, on par with market leading brands of domestic jug filters and significantly lower cost than competitors’ products and similar technologies.

The potential of the Aqua-Nu filter technology meets the challenges for human consumption of three main groups of contaminants:

Micro-organisms:

Diseases caused by waterborne microbes (pathogens) constitute one of the greatest risks relating to consumption of drinking water in many parts of the world. These pathogens are the target of disinfection technologies used in drinking water treatment, such as chlorination and ozonation. Where disinfection levels are inadequate or not present, pathogens pose a serious risk, causing diseases such as gastro-enteritis or dysentery, or even Legionnaire‘s disease, cholera or typhoid. Water that has been previously treated with chlorine or chlorine dioxide may readily become contaminated, given that the disinfection capacity will be reduced following the volatilisation of the disinfection agents over time (most of the chlorine will volatilise from standing tap water in less than 2 hours).

Inorganic elements:

Many elements may be found in drinking water, the most common usually being calcium and magnesium, which are more properly regarded as nutrients, rather than contaminants. Iron is also found in many drinking waters, and again, its presence may be beneficial. Some waters may also contain lead, aluminium and other elements (e.g. cadmium, barium, arsenic, lithium, rubidium) which are generally regarded as contaminants, although scientific research is increasingly demonstrating biological functions for these elements at very low dosages.

Organic compounds:

These include a very wide range of compounds that, by definition, include carbon in their structure. Of the contaminants present in many drinking waters, they include disinfection by-products, pesticides, petrochemicals and solvents. Increasing amounts of scientific research is demonstrating that long-term, low dosage exposure to mixtures of these compounds may contribute to significant health risks, including cancer. Some of these compounds are effectively indirect carcinogens, in that they are converted to carcinogens following their reaction with other chemicals (in water, in food, in the body), while others are directly carcinogenic.