The winning team along with faculty members of NIT Andhra Pradesh. Source: NIT Andhra Pradesh
Researchers at NIT Andhra Pradesh have developed a continuous reactor for the treatment of textile industrial effluent by nano coupled advanced oxidation process. The students have initiated this research towards the mission of clean water by recycling the pollutants from Tirupur, Tamil Nadu.
The researchers also secured second place in Avishkaar-2022’s Student Innovation Contest, conducted by Andhra Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (APCOST), in collaboration with the AICTE, at Adikavi Nannaya University (AKNU-Rajamahendravaram) that was held on March 4-5.
The research was conducted by VC Padmanaban, assistant professor, department of Biotechnology, NIT Andhra Pradesh along with scholars Gindi Neha Madhav, Sadhana Pitambar Patil and Avanti Bhute.
Explaining the significance of the work, Padmanaban, said, “The key challenge towards the treatment of textile dye effluent is the presence of salts and high concentration of dyes which interferes with the process of degradation. It is beneficial if a technology is developed by using the salts which are innately present in the effluent. By keeping this as the strategic point, the team has developed an Advanced Oxidation Process which works well in the high saline conditions towards the complete removal of textile dyes.”
The thermal activation of salts results in the generation of reactive radicals. The process focuses on the simultaneous generation of hydroxyl and sulphate radicals which catalyses the removal of dye pollutants. The rate of removal was almost doubled by the addition of Ferrous tagged biochar nanocomposite which acts as a heterogeneous catalyst. Based on the developed process, an integrated reactor was designed for the continuous removal of textile dyes.
In the current Indian scenario, the researchers are working towards the mission of sustainability and Swachh Bharat, the scaled-up version of this work to provide a sustainable solution for the removal of pollutants from water systems by providing clean water.
While appreciating the researchers, CSP Rao, director, NIT Andhra Pradesh, said, “I suggest integrating the process towards the sustainable and circular economy-based approach. I encourage the team to proceed the research towards the transfer of technology for the benefit of the society and insist on the importance of interdisciplinary research for the development of indigenous technologies towards the mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
The team will be working to make this as translational research towards industries.