Follow Singapore Immigration and Singapore Life: Groundwater pollution has long been a major issue plaguing developing countries. Professor Ramakrishna Mallampati from the National University of Singapore has invented a new method to purify contaminated water: placing a few pieces of fruit peel into the water.
This invention turns fruit peels into a highly useful resource. This water purification method involves placing fruit peels into medical-grade alcohol to dehydrate them, and then placing these dehydrated peels into contaminated water for a few hours. Heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, and nanoparticles of gold and silver in the water can be absorbed by these fruit peels. Once the peels are removed, the remaining water can even reach potable standards. These fruit peels, which were originally household waste, have now been turned into a valuable resource.
Compared to expensive water purification technologies, fruit peels are very inexpensive and readily available. Mallampati stated: "We do not intend to commercialize this technology; we are currently working with several non-governmental organizations to allow this technology to benefit more people." At the same time, Mallampati is also calculating the amount of fruit peel required to purify an equivalent volume of water based on the varying water pollution conditions in different countries.
