A portable water-filtration system could remove the woes of getting sick abroad for travelers — which could be your worst nightmare if on business, and a nuisance on holiday.

I travel often; and water itself is a constant issue. Usually resorting to bottled water, on the rare occasions I’ve been hiking or find myself in the middle of nowhere, sometimes I’ve resorted to any source available. More often than not, this results in unwanted consequences.

It is not only going abroad; in the UK, in some areas (such as Bristol) the heavy lime content of ‘drinking’ water results in the same problems.

This is a constant issue for those going abroad, and it is not necessarily possible to take full-scale water purifier systems with you for trips. However, a portable water-purification system has appeared on the market — Purificup.

Purificup is a small, portable water filter system that can be thrown together with your basic, essentials travelkit and hiking pack. The system uses nano-silver membrane technology in order to remove ‘up to 99.99 percent’ of pathogens — including bacteria and parasites that can be ingested through water sources that cause stomach problems or sickness such as E.coli.

The product purifies water in three stages — including an ion exchange resin to remove metals such as mercury — shifting what we commonly know as ‘hard’ water into a ‘soft’ alternative. A carbon filter, once activated, removes other pollutants such as chlorine and pesticides, and then the nano-silver membrane catches illness-inducing pathogens.

The website states:

“In controlled experiments, the silver membrane eliminates up to 99.99% of bacteria in the medium owing to its unique physical property and its interaction with biological systems. By oxidizing the sulphur functional group on the surface protein of common pathogens, the Nano silver coating destroys the cell wall of common pathogens.

Unlike other commercially available sanitizer, Nano silver has the following advantages. It has powerful sanitizing capability. It does not induce drug resistance in pathogens. It is not stimulating and does not cause allergies. It is not sensitive to PH level.”

The product comes in different forms; from natural water purification to tap water safety. There is also a new item in development, the details of which have not yet been released.

It is available on the company’s website or though online retailers including Amazon.