Clean water with scrap glass

Removable glass can be reused to remove contaminants from groundwater, making water cleaner.

Dr. Nichola Coleman and colleagues.

Dr Nichola Coleman, a senior lecturer in the Department of Materials Chemistry at the University of Greenwich, led the research team, saying: 'Currently, many types of scrap glass are recycled for a variety of purposes. However, this can only be done on colorless glass, but can not be recycled with colored glass. That makes waste more and more ... '.

The research team conducted a mixture of colored glass, lime and sodium hydroxide (also known as caustic soda). Next, they heat the mixture and put it in a sealed box made of stainless steel. This mixture is converted to tobermorite , a mineral that removes heavy metals from groundwater or sewage.

Nicholas Coleman hopes to add tobermorite to filtering equipment to prevent contamination of fresh water from contaminated areas previously contaminated with water.

'Research shows that the use of scrap glass, at least it is useful. Using glass left to clean water is something nobody has ever thought of, " Greenwich researchers said.

The results of this study are published in the International Journal of Waste and Environmental Management.