Field Production of Purified Sterile Water from Available Water Sources by Using a Portable Apparatus

In a normal urban environment, sterile water for injection is readily available; however, in field situations or in areas remote from supply sources, the procurement of purified water could present logistic difficulties. A 60 kg, compact, self-contained, portable water purification apparatus, adapted with a sterile micropore filter, has been evaluated for purification of sea water, pond water, or human urine. The process is based on the reverse osmosis procedure and can use various power sources. The results indicate that polluted water can be purified by a single passage through the system, as demonstrated by considerable reducton of ions (>1 percent), and complete elimination of metal content and organic matter present in the source of water. The water obtained is clear, colorless, odorless, non-pyrogenic, is made sterile without addition of antimicrobial agents or other substances, and appears to satisfy the criteria for USP grade water for injection except for the limits on total solids. The residual solids are sodium and chloride ions which are common constituents of parenteral solutions. This purification process can be used anywhere water is needed as long as a water supply from some source is available. It represents a multipurpose water purification system which is capable of meeting the medical needs of the military in its various fields of operation, and could also be very useful in many non-medical situations.