Egyptian scientists use eggshells to clean dirt in Nile River
Scientists in Egypt have found a new way to clean dirty water from the Nile River using waste from eggshells.
The team from Ain Shams University made the discovery after studying how crushed eggshells could remove dangerous substances from water.
They found that eggshell powder could take out harmful metals like lead, cadmium, and iron, and kill bacteria such as E. coli, which can make people very sick.
The Nile River provides more than 95% of Egypt’s drinking water, but the river is under threat from pollution, climate change, and the country’s growing population.
This innovation serves as a cheaper and easier way to protect the Nile’s water.
In their tests, the scientists collected water from the Nile near Helwan, a heavily polluted area south of Cairo.
After cleaning eggshells collected from bakeries, they ground them into fine powder, and mixed the powder with the river water.
The results were strong. The eggshells removed more than 90% of lead, nearly 65% of cadmium, and over half of the iron in the water. They also helped kill almost all the bacteria within 24 hours.
The team explained that eggshells work well because they are full of calcium carbonate, a natural material that can capture metals and bacteria.
Using tools like electron microscopes, they confirmed that the eggshells had trapped the harmful substances after treatment.
However, the scientists said more tests are needed before it can be used on a large scale.
They believe their work can inspire other low-cost, green solutions to protect people and nature.
