Product/Service Development

Henry K. Malak of American Environmental Systems, Inc. in the U.S. seeks to develop low-cost durable silicones with self-cleaning and antimicrobial properties for use as a coating on sanitary units. These silicones will contain embedded metal nanoparticles which react to light by creating electromagnetic fields which kill microbes and produce water repellant properties.

Paul Vernon and a team at Brighton Development, LLC in the U.S. will develop a latrine mat made from a self-sterilizing plastic casting form that can be filled with concrete and set in place to provide a permanent antimicrobial surface for traditional squat latrines. The mat will be tested for its longevity and its ability to kill disease-causing pathogens and odor-producing bacteria.

Robert Borden of North Carolina State University in the U.S. will develop an inexpensive method to efficiently and hygienically remove human waste from cesspits. Borden will modify readily available gasoline powered augers and PVC pipes to operate as a progressive cavity pump for filling drums or other easily transported containers. In Phase I, Borden produced and tested an inexpensive machine that could effectively remove medium- to high-viscosity waste from a range of pits with different accessibilities in South Africa.

Yinjie Tang at Washington University in St. Louis in the U.S. proposes to develop a genetically engineered fungal species that can convert fecal sludge to butanol, a high-energy biofuel similar to gasoline. The fungal species could not only produce biofuels, but also kill pathogenic microorganisms in fecal sludge.

Taber Hand of Wetlands Work! in Cambodia will field test a waste water treatment system that uses floating "pods" similar to children's wading pools that are filled with wetland plants and moving water and sit directly under the toilet of houseboats in floating villages in Southeast Asia. Bacteria that reside in the plant roots create a biofilm which traps organic matter and begins a food chain which breaks down the waste and cleans the water.

Leonardo De Silva Muñoz of AI3D in Mexico proposes to design a mobile waste treatment system that extracts fecal sludge and uses plasma gasification to turn waste into a gas that can be used to synthesize diesel and produce electricity. The treatment system will be fitted into the bed of a pickup truck, and the gas mixture produced will power the truck, the waste treatment process, and the fecal sludge extraction system.

Mark Holtzapple of Texas A&M University in the U.S. seeks to demonstrate that carboxylic acid fermentation can be adapted as a sanitation treatment to not only kill pathogens in the waste but also convert it to liquid fuels, compost, and potable water that can be used for economic gain.

Loriana Dembele of Eau et Vie Ji-Duma in Mali proposes to develop new architectural and construction guidelines for vaccine storage rooms in hot climates that incorporate passive solar thermal technologies to keep vaccines at recommended temperatures. The team will construct and test prototype storage facilities to determine new standards that prevent vaccine spoilage, reduce operating costs, and improve refrigeration capabilities.

Gautam Pangu of Vindico NanoBioTechnology Inc. in the U.S. seeks to develop a vaginal gel that uses nano-sacs called polymersomes, which can control the delivery of spermicides as a contraceptive and other sexually transmitted agents. Peter Ghoroghchian will direct project development and will guide the transition to eventual clinical testing.

Benson Wamalwa of the University of Nairobi in Kenya will develop and test a vaginal gel that contains zeolite nanoparticles which soak up the fructose present in semen. By "mopping" up the fructose, this gel will rob sperm of the energy needed for motility. If successful, the gel could be used as an inexpensive, non-hormonal contraceptive.