More than 2 billion people, approximately a quarter of the world’s population, lack access to clean drinking water. A new, portable and affordable water filtration solution created by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin aims to change that.

The new system collects dirty water with a syringe and injects it into a hydrogel filter that weeds out nearly all tiny particles. This device, the researchers say, offers significant advantages in cost, simplicity, effectiveness and sustainability compared existing commercial options, giving users the ability to easily decontaminate water from nearby streams and rivers and make it drinkable.

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