A minor field study : Photocatalytic Water Treatment at the University of Eldoret in Kenya

Sammanfattning: Since many diseases in Kenya arise from low quality drinking water, new effective cleaning systems and techniques, which can be deployed without extensive infrastructure investments, are needed. Solar-powered titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysis could be one promising candidate, which can meet these demands. In the present project photocatalytic water cleaning technologies were evaluate at the University of Eldoret in Kenya.A portable photocatalysis reactor, suitable for field work, which was developed by researchers at the Divison of Solid state physics, Dept. Engineering Sciences at Uppsala University, was used for performing water cleaning studies on-site and for educational purposes. Evaluation of photocatalytic performance was also evaluated in Petri dishes by degrading dye and bacteria from various water samples.Results showed clear photocatalytic activity in Petri dishes with certain dye concentration and bacteria abundance was lower after water treatment. The initial tests of the photocatalytic reactor were not satisfactory, but nevertheless indicated that dye degradation may be possible to monitor with additional improvements of the reactor. We see good potential, from a practical and long term sustainability perspective, to further develop photocatalysis competence at University of Eldoret.