Portable Water Purification

(Technical Insights)
Providing Mobile Safe Drinking Water

D515-TI
December 2013

Contents
Section

Slide Numbers

Executive Summary

Key Findings

Technology Snapshot and Trends

Technology Capability
Technology Value Chain

Impact Assessment and Analysis

Market Impact of Key Innovations

Market Impact of Technology/Business Accelerators
Market Impact of Technology/Business Challenges
Impact Mapping of Accelerators and Challenges

Diffusion of Innovations and Needs Assessment

Technology Adoption Cycle According to Region

Technology Adoption Cycle According to Technology
Demand Side Analysis

Opportunity Evaluation and Roadmapping

Scenario Modeling and Emerging Opportunities

Emerging Opportunities Categorized According to End Users
Technology Roadmap
Technology Management Strategies

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28

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Contents (continued)
Section
Appendix

Slide Numbers
55

Some Key Patents

Contact Details

56
63

The Frost & Sullivan Story

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Research Objective and Scope

The objective of this research is to report on the market penetration of portable water purification technologies and map its
technological development until the year 2020.

The research scope is water treatment for drinking, as portable systems have a more significant and important impact on water
purification for drinking than on industrial wastewater treatment. The sources of water considered are freshwater, groundwater,
brackish water, and seawater. Thus, the scope excludes water recycling from wastewater treatment.

Briefly, this research service provides:

A snapshot of the most important and relevant portable water purification technologies and their capabilities.

Market impact assessment and analysis of key innovations and technology and business accelerators and challenges in the
field of portable water purification.
An assessment of technology adoption levels by region and by technology and an analysis of end users expectations of the
technologies.
An evaluation of emerging opportunities, technology roadmapping and recommendations for technology development and
management.
Some key patents that provide an insight into notable activities and global participants and a detailed list of contacts in the
field, which includes names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail IDs, and Website URLs.

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Technical InsightsResearch Process and Methodology

Technology Journals
Periodicals
Market Research Reports
Technology Policy information
Sites
Internal Databases
Thought Leader Briefings

Technology Capabilities
and Stakeholder
Initiatives

1
Patent
Review

Technology/Business
Challenges

Innovators and
Innovations

Assess
Innovations

Application Market
Potential and Needs

Secondary Research
Primary Research

Engineers
CTOs/CEOs/CIOs
Technical Architects
Research Heads
Strategic Decision Makers
Technology Policy Heads

Research Methodology
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2
Interview
Participants

Stakeholder
Stakeholder
Insights,
Insights,
Perspectives
and
Perspectives
&
Strategies
Strategies

Technology/Business
Drivers

Outcome: Forecast Future of

Technology, Market Adoption and
Potential Application Sectors

Research Process
6

Key Findings
1
The most relevant and important technologies for portable water purification for drinking, which is the scope of
this research report, are advanced filtration, adsorption/absorption, chemical treatment, novel filtration,
advanced oxidation, membrane electro-separation, and distillation.

2
Key innovations impacting the portable water purification market are nanotechnology, the use of renewable
energy, and innovative technologies that increase flexibility of application and enable economically viable smallscale solutions.

3
Emerging technologies that would contribute to portable water purification such as capacitive deionization and
membrane distillation are entering the market. Potential technologies utilizing graphene membranes, micro
devices and microscale processes are in the R&D stage.

4
The biggest challenge in the industry is the peoples lack of knowledge about the benefits of advanced portable
water purification technologies over more conventional or popular systems that are less effective or sustainable.

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Key Findings (continued)

5
Portable water purification technologies are most adopted in North America, followed by Europe. In Asia, their
market penetration is increasing. They are in great demand in water-scarce regions such as Africa and the
Middle East, especially for desalination.

6
Population growth, climate change, stricter regulations for drinking water and groundwater, and the need for
emergency preparedness present high-growth opportunities for portable water purification technologies.

7
Novel filtration technologies are the most widely employed at present and is expected to remain relevant as they
offer the most possibilities for portable water purification. In future, technologies such as advanced oxidation and
electro-separation technologies can be expected to dominate the market.

8
Simplicity and reliability are the key features that consumers look for in portable water purifiers. New innovations,
though may be more effective, will have to be further developed until they have reached the desired level of
simplicity and handiness before they can be expected to gain significant market adoption.

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Technology Capability
Definition: Self-contained, modular, and easily transportable or movable systems, which
can produce drinking water from untreated water sources.

Portable
Water
Purification

Application: Supply of drinking water for various outdoor and temporary usage; during
disasters such as earthquakes, floods, drought and so on; and to water-scarce places.
For convenience, also used indoors where multiple water supplies are required, for water
storage, or where additional treatment of water is required.
Important technologies: Advanced filtration, adsorption/absorption, chemical treatment,
novel filtration, advanced oxidation, membrane electro-separation, and distillation.
Contaminants removed: Dissolved solids, chemicals, heavy metals, toxins, taste, odor,
color, pathogens, and so on.

Advanced
Filtration

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Adsorption/
Absorption

Chemical
Treatment

Novel Filtration

Advanced
Oxidation

Membrane
ElectroSeparation

Distillation

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