Access to safe drinking water is a step closer to being a reality for those in developing countries, thanks to new research published today in Nature Communications.

The study paves the way for the next generation of portable water purification devices, which could provide relief to the 780 million people around the world who face every day without access to a clean water supply.

An international team of researchers -- led by Associate Professor Hui Ying Yang from Singapore University of Technology and Design -- showed that water purification membranes enhanced by plasma-treated carbon nanotubes are ideal for removing contaminants and brine from water.

The team included Dr Zhaojun Han and Professor Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov from CSIRO's world-leading Plasma Nanoscience Laboratories.

The study paves the way for the next generation of portable water purification devices, which could provide relief to the 780 million people around the world who face every day without access to a clean water supply.

This is a wonderful application of nanotechnology.  To read more, click here.