India: Nanoparticles play a crucial role in trapping water pollutants

IIT Kanpur

Kanpur: City has its environmental risks but villages are still prone to the contaminated water. This causes the skin diseases.

Throwing light on this point Dr Archana Raichur said that the contaminated water people use commonly for their daily domestic usage.

She happens to be a scientist fellow at the mechanical engineering department, IIT here.

She learnt about the issue during her stay in the villages for about four months in the year 2019.

She realised only then that village women, were infected with skin diseases for spending more time in doing the dishes, doing household chores and farming. 

After almost two years of research, the scientist and Dr Niraj Sinha conceived a nano adsorbent effective in the selective removal of antibiotic and metal resistant bacteria.

The innovative material with unique physicochemical properties enables it to deactivate and separate metallic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from water.

Nanoparticles can play a crucial role in trapping pollutants, invisible to the naked eye.

The innovative nano adsorbents overcome challenges found in other water purifiers, These include degradation of filters due to serum and enzymes, corrosion and non-recyclability.

She adds, 'The innovation is novel and can be used in the existing membrane of a water filter or separately in earthen pots or other water containers.

The innovative nano adsorbent requires no electricity and can purify water up to 99 per cent.'

The purification method, she says, works similar to natural water filtration achieved using pebble, sand, humus, a rock placed, one above another.

'The water is poured into the top layer, which percolates and filters contaminants by the end of the process.'

The nano adsorbent works similarly but at nano stages which ensures high purification levels.

It also eliminates toxic metals like arsenic and other bacteria that otherwise remain in the water. '

The purification method deposits the sediments and other organic matter at the bottom. It can be used for domestic purposes or scaled to a commercial level, Dr Archana clarifies.