Results

    A double layer of newsprint shaped into a cavity holding 1 liter has a filtration flow rate of about 150 mL per hour after a lag of about 15 minutes for the paper to wet.

    Yeast is removed from the water (Fig. 3). The completeness was confirmed by plating the filtrate. Similarly filtered pond water rife with myriads of dancing protozoans and algae also resulted in total removal as seen with microscopic examination. However, as expected, there were some microscopic paper fibers, as well as a tint of yellow either leached from the basket or from the tannins in the pond water.

    Waters were decontaminated of soil bacteria within 10 minutes by both shampoos containing "quats" - cetrimide and polyquaternium-10 (Fig. 4). The quat-free shampoo was much less effective and required a treatment of 20 minutes or longer.

    E. coli K1:O18ac:H7 was killed off at about the same rates as the soil bacteria (Fig. 5).

    These solutions not unexpectedly had a floral aroma and a slight detergenty feel on the tongue - much less than that experienced with tooth paste. No adverse effects from drinking 250 mL were experienced by the few of us who participated in this exercise.