Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid component of the Earth’s crust that can be found in rocks and soil, water, air, and in plants and animals.
The contamination of groundwater resources with arsenic is an environmental and health issue, affecting over 200 million people in more than 70 countries, including some in Canada. A high concentration of arsenic in water can cause cancer, nausea, and blood vessel damage.
Khaled Zoroufchi Benis, a Vanier Scholar and Ph.D. candidate with the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, and colleagues are developing an affordable and accessible method to remove arsenic from water for people to safely consume.
Using Canada’s national synchrotron light source facility, Canadian Light Source, at University of Saskatchewan, the research team aims to make the water purifying process more efficient. They are focused on using agricultural residue-based materials, such as wheat and canola straw, to filter toxins.
There are currently 47 million tonnes of these agricultural residues in Canada and this invention could help put these residues to good use. Using agricultural residue-based materials is a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to more efficient arsenic absorbents.