How does LifeSaver Graphene:Ultra technology work?

What does Graphene do and how does it do it?

Until now, LifeSaver products have relied on hollow fibre membranes and activated carbon filters to filter out contaminants. 

The membranes we use in our LifeSaver water purifiers effectively block microbiological contaminants including viruses, bacteria and protozoa (parasite eggs), and particulates – sediment, fibres and microplastics.

As our membranes approach the end of their life, the pores in the membranes begin to block up. The membrane filters have high filtering capacities but, eventually every single pore becomes blocked and even water molecules won’t pass through. It’s because of this feature that we have called our products FAILSAFE.

The activated carbon filters work using adsorption – effectively soaking up some chemical contaminants - including heavy metals, unpleasant tastes, and smells. Once saturated with those chemicals, they stop being soaked up and they start to pass through. You’ll notice when this happens because the water starts to taste a bit funky. Carbon filters have a much lower capacity and need changing more frequently, but the ultrafiltration membrane continues to work against microbes with or without a carbon.

New Graphene-Enhanced Element

A Graphene:Ultra filter uses an ultrafiltration membrane with an additional graphene composite element. This element provides three new chemical adsorption mechanisms:

• Conjugated molecules stacking
• Electrostatic interaction and surface complexation
• Hydrophobic interactions

Unlike the ultrafiltration membrane, that behaves like a sieve, the graphene element acts more like a carbon filter – like a sponge. Once a sieve’s holes are blocked, water stops passing through; once a sponge is saturated, water simply passes through. This means the graphene element can’t offer a FailSafe mechanism; once it’s removed everything it can, chemical contaminants will start to pass through the membrane to the drinking water.

What does this mean for you?

It means that it is vital that you keep a record of how much water you have purified with your Graphene:Ultra filter cartridge. It will also help if you know what toxins are likely to be in the water.

So, for example, if you are travelling through an area that has high levels of heavy metals in the ground water, the Graphene:Ultra filter will be effective for around 700 litres – that’s just under 40 Jerrycan refills. A LifeSaver Graphene:Ultra Jerrycan holds 18.5 litres of water – enough for two adults to have at least 4 litres of drinking water each for two days. So, with a lifespan of 40 refills, one Graphene:Ultra cartridge will provide two adults with safe drinking water for 80 days – nearly three months.

If you are in area where PFAS/PFOA – forever chemicals – have been identified as a problem, the filter will be effective for 1,000 litres – that’s around 55 refills of your Jerrycan – providing two adults with safe drinking water for four months.

In short, with a little extra research and planning you can keep yourself safe wherever you go.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just buy bottled water?

That all depends on where you are travelling to. There are plenty of remote places in the world where shops selling reliable bottled water are few and far between. And exactly how much space and load capacity do you have to stock up with enough bottled water to last until you find the next shop? And what do you plan to do with the empties? Owning the means to purify the water you need, when you need it, is still the most cost effective and sustainable travel solution.

World-class Solutions

Since the invention of the Bottle back in 2007, LifeSaver has been the leading brand in portable water purification and, by being the first to integrate a graphene element, rightly maintains its position at the forefront of the industry.

If you’d like to know about our Graphene:Ultra solutions please get in touch.