Biocidal Nano-Silver Reinforced Activated Charcoal in Water Treatment

Improvements in nanotechnology make eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions to the drinking water contamination problem feasible. Activated charcoal, which is widely used for water purification, can be more effectively employed when reinforced with nanoparticles. For antimicrobial water treatment activated charcoal can be reinforced with silver nanoparticles (SNPs) for best results. Among various methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles, green synthesis mediated by phytoconstituents is preferable, as it is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Here we report a green method for synthesizing SNPs from musk melon fruit extract and activated charcoal from coconut shells. The prepared activated charcoal was reinforced with the green-synthesized SNPs and used in microbial water filtration. The efficiency of nanosilver reinforced activated charcoal was higher than virgin activated charcoal proving improved filtration against microbes after successful reinforcement.