India: IIT-Kanpur develops water purification device

Kanpur: In a bid to revolutionise the water purification process, a novel device has been devised by IIT Kanpur.

This device is able to produce inorganic contaminant-free water at a cost as low as 2 Rs per litre.

There is no maintenance cost even. It has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology here.

The device was developed by IIT Kanpur researchers in collaboration with those at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

It will help overcome the challenges in both water availability and water quality monitoring.

The institutes have also been granted a joint Indian patent for the novel water purification device, IIT Kanpur said in its statement.

The purification vessel contains a re-generable  absorbent material capable of binding the impurities and preserving them in a moist or dry format, thus producing inorganic contaminant-free water at a cost as low as Rs 2/litre.

It can be procured without power. It does not leave any residual wastewater leading to zero maintenance expenses.

The novelty of the device lies in its capability for both purification and measurement by a single channel, which no other system provides.

Beyond purification of drinking water, the device can also be used in the food and beverage industry, wastewater reuse, batch generation of deionised water and agricultural water monitoring.

Further, the vessel could be used for monitoring and purification of other liquids for human consumption, such as dairy products, soft drinks, or other ingestible liquids.

At a time when the whole world is in the grip of several ongoing as well as potential environmental hazards, it is upon us all to contribute our bit.

At a time when the whole world is in the grip of several ongoing as well as potential environmental hazards, it is upon us all to contribute our bit.

"This is a very timely and quintessential device to curb the issues plaguing clean water resources," said Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur, in a statement.