Environmental

Electrochemical Technologies for the Planet

Clean drinking water is essential to a high quality of life. To be safe for human consumption, both surface and ground waters are purified (including removal of particulates, suspended organic material, minerals, bacteria, algae and viruses) and monitored.

Disinfectants such as chlorine are sometimes added to the water after it leaves the water treatment plant to reduce the risk of re-contamination during distribution. Ozone is an alternative to chlorine that can be produced electrochemically in an under-the-counter device that produces ozone on demand. Ozonation can also be used in closed environments such as the Space Station and aboard submarines. Giner, Inc. has fabricated a prototype ozone generator for NASA.

Higher levels of arsenic tend to be found more in ground water sources than in surface water sources (i.e., lakes and rivers) of drinking water. The US EPA has set the arsenic standard for drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb) to protect consumers served by public water systems from the effects of long-term, chronic exposure to arsenic. Giner, Inc. has developed a portable arsenic sensor that can detect 1 ppb of arsenic.

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