New Technology to Purifying Drinking Water Developed

A possible novel approach to remove bacteria and viruses from drinking water using a genetic tool was developed by researchers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering.

The engineers have used the RNA interference (RNAi) technology. This method uses short snippets of RNA which match with the corresponding segment of a gene in the cell and inhibit its function.

Researchers have demonstrated in their experiments that the RNAi is able to stop working a gene in a common water fungus. If this new approach can be perfected, the researchers believe that it could serve as the basis for a device to help solve the problem of safe drinking water in Third World Countries.

Source: http://www.ece.duke.edu