Water borne organisms have been a major cause of illness, disease, and death through out the centuries. Even today, in our technologically advanced world, third world countries, and even the poor areas of modern countries, struggle with disease and death caused by the contaminants in unclean water.

However, there is a new membrane filtration technique that could solve these issues without using nearly as much energy, making it more earth friendly, as well as more obtainable for outlying areas. This technology uses a combination of filtration and bacteria to cleanse even the most contaminated water to create pure drinking water. It could be the answer for thousands of people who must drink contaminated water every day.

Researchers are using a certain type of bacteria to eat the contaminants that are in the water. This process is called bioremediation, and works along with a membrane technology for filtering the water. Although the membrane filtration process has been used for many years, the current system decreases in efficiency as the membranes become clogged with the contaminants. With the bioremediation technique the filters are cleaned by the bacteria, and remain in a closed system, for an undetermined period of time.

The filters, themselves, are porous membranes, different that the old style filters. These membranes work like sieves, with microscopic holes. These holes are so small that they are only visible at a nanoscale. Some are measured in nanometers, or one millionth of a millimeter. This system is so effective that it can literally transform industrial waste into clean water. Once the waste products have been filtered out they can actually be reused as fuel.

The ultrafiltration technology is being used in the Middle East in research which seeks to create drinking water from seawater. When used as a pretreatment step for the sea water the bioremediation technique keeps the sea water from clogging the machinery used in the next part of the process, keeping it working longer, at less cost. This is also a plus for the environment. Bioremediation technology, as it is used more, and researchers understand more about it, could make a difference in the quality of life, and health for millions of people in countries where clean drinking water is not taken for granted.