Theme: Water desinfection with solar energy

Subject: Desinfect water using solar energy at home

INTRODUCTION:
Water is a liquid that has no taste, smell nor color. It is fundamental for life, and it is
considered the most important non-renewable resourse in the world. It not only helps to
eliminate disposable substances resulting from biochemical processes in the human body, but
also it transports harmful substances that put people´s health in jeopardy. Therefore, water
sources must be kept safe from contamination. Working to improve water quality for human
consumption is a must to prevent transmission of gastrointestinal diseases. (José Lugo-Arias,
2020)

JUSTIFICATION:
Worldwide, there is a increasing water demand because of urban and industrial growth that
has increased water contamination, and there is also people around the globe (15% of the
world´s population) that do not have access to safe drinking water. It is important to efficiently
manage water resources. One option is using solar energy as a sustainable, low cost effective
way to desinfect water and ensure that human water consumption does not pose a risk for
human health.
Solar energy is a type of energy generated by the sun, and it is constantly flowing away from
the sun and throughout the solar system. Solar energy warms the Earth, causes wind and
weather, and sustains plant and animal life. (Andrew Turgeon, 2022)

GENERAL OBJECTIVE
This work aims to demostrate that using solar energy to desinfect water is an effective method
for making water suitable for drinking in Santa Rosa de Copán.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To investigate the properties of water
2. To investigate the properties of solar energy
3. To analize water samples in seach for bacteria before and after exposure to solar
energy.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH QUESTION
Can solar energy desinfect water making it suitable for drinking in Santa Rosa de Copán?
 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Santa Rosa and the weather
Water and water properties
The sun and solar Energy
Water contaminants
Water desinfection (SODIS)
Water análisis for bacterial contamination in the laboratory

HIPOTHESIS
Solar energy can desinfect water making it suitable for drinking

METHODOLOGY:
Plan and Design of the Experiment
This research was carried out in three stages: (1) Preparation of the materials, (2) Timed
exposure to Solar Energy (3) bacterial análisis

Materials:
- 3 transparent steril cups
- 75 ml of ready for drinking water
- Coliform bacteria
- Solar Energy
- Petry boxes
-44.5°C Incubator

Procedure:
As shown in diagram 1, first, the preparation of the materials prior to treatment with solar
energy will take place at the Regional Sanitary Laboratory of the Departamental Public Health
Office in Santa Rosa de Copán. 25 ml of pre-treated water ready for consumption will be placed
in sterile transparent plastic cups in a total of 3 cups. Each cup wil be mixed with a fecal
coliforms bacteria preparation in a proportion of 10:1. This will be done by the personal of the
laboratory.
On a sunny day, the 3 cups filled with water will be exposed to sunlight on the roof during a
period of 4 hours, 6 hours and 8 hours. Each cup will be numbered from 1, 2 and 3.
After the specified time have passed, each cup will be sampled and cultured in the Public Health
Lab in search for batería. The results will be obtained 24 hours after the treatment.
 Public
Preparation
Health of materials
Laboratory

Sun Sample 1 (4 Sample 2 (6 Sample 3

Exposure hours) hours) (8 hours)

Public
Health Sample Analysis after treatment
Laboratory

Diagram 1: Water Desinfection with Solar Exposure Experiment Phases

RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/solar-energy
https://purificadordeagua.casa/metodo-sodis/