New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela have developed an innovative process for efficiently treating industrial waste water contaminated with persistent dyes such as Bismarck Brown R.
The research, supported by Department of Science and Technology, has been published in the prestigious Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering and the team has been granted a patent for the developed technology.
According to Sujit Sen, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering at NIT-Rourkela in Odisha, waste water from industries like textiles and dye manufacturing often contains harmful dyes that are difficult to remove with traditional filtration methods. “Dyes such as Bismarck Brown R are small enough to pass through microfiltration membranes, making them particularly challenging to treat. These dyes can cause significant environmental and health issues due to their intense colour and potential carcinogenic properties.
“Conventional treatment methods, such as those relying on ultraviolet light, often struggle with large-scale applications, especially when separating dye particles from water,” he said.
Sen explained that to address these challenges, the research team developed a cutting-edge treatment system that combines two advanced technologies.
“The first is a ceramic membrane coated with an industrial-waste derived Zeolite and Zinc Oxide nanocomposite. This photocatalyst can break down dye molecules when exposed to light.
“The second technology incorporates micro bubbles, generated via a simple air diffuser, to enhance mass transfer and improve the breakdown process. A continuous tangential flow membrane photoreactor was designed and tested using both simulated and real waste water from a local dyeing factory,” he said. PTI GJS GJS KVK KVK
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