1.3. Health concerns from water contamination
In terms of waterborne contaminations, bacteria including Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli and
Campylobacter are the major contributors [13]. The ingestion of water contaminated by such bacteria can result in
illnesses such as cholera, gastroenteritis and typhoid fever. These illnesses can cause excessive vomiting, severe
fever, uncontrollable losses of bodily fluids and eventually death due to extreme dehydration and body organ
shutdown. The pathogens that cause these waterborne diseases are the primary concern in humanitarian
interventions as they are widespread but easily preventable [14]. Therefore, the current work is focused on the
treatment of pathogens in water, rather than physical, chemical or radiological contaminates.