This Plant-Based Water Filter Works Like A Mini Amazon Rainforest

July 13, 2017Home And Garden

Total48
46
2
0
Like

Share via

Purified water is essential for health, but many of the filters on the market contain toxins which may adversely affect one’s well-being rather than support it. For this reason, we can’t help but celebrate a home filtration system designed by Royal College of Art graduate Pratik Ghosh, which purifies waste water from the kitchen using herbs.

The Drop by Drop contains plants under a glass dome, as well as pipes which deposit water into the sphere and later allow it to be collected. Water that is poured through isn’t any ol’ water, but gray water which is sourced from sinks, washing machines, and baths.

Widget not in any sidebars

Once a light is turned on inside the dome, the plants are triggered to begin photosynthesis. As they transpire, water is drawn through the roots and onto the leaves, where it enters the air as vapor. Dezeen reports, “A pump controls the system’s airflow and creates a vacuum to further expedite transpiration.” Moisture is then drawn out of the dome and condensed to form pure, distilled water. An added benefit is that the invention also releases oxygen into the room.

“The proof of concept is indeed a mini version of the Amazon. It is a biosphere wherein the five key factors necessary for efficient transpiration, namely warmth, wind, light, pressure and humidity, are maintained at an optimum level.”

“One can pour dirty water collected from the kitchen or even the bathroom into the system and the plants help you filter it,” said Ghosh.

“The idea is to change the way we procure and consume water at a larger level,” Ghosh added. ”In order to do that, there needs to be a change in the value system and what better place to start than the home?”

Because the filtration system is a slow process, patience is required. If scaled up to potentially cover an unused roof, however, it could filter 160 liters of water in 12 hours of daylight, says Ghosh, whose work was exhibited at the RCA’s graduate show. It could also be directly linked to grey-water outlets or set up to collect rainwater (which remains illegal in the United States, believe it or not).