NIT Rourkela develops ‘eco-friendly advanced hybrid system’ to treat industrial sewage

NEW DELHI: National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has developed a hybrid wastewater filtration system to treat industrial sewage water contaminated with dyes. The developed system is ideal for industries such as textiles and chemicals to recycle and reuse contaminated water, as per the official statement by the institute.

The researchers at NIT Rourkela have developed this system that combines nanocomposite and microbubble technology to remove dyes from wastewater. The technology could be applied in textile manufacturing, chemical industries such as steel, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals, where robust wastewater treatment is required, the institute said.

Explaining about the workings of the newly-developed system, Sujit Sen from the department of chemical engineering, NIT Rourkela, said: "Our hybrid system successfully achieved 95.4% decolorisation of Bismarck Brown R and 94% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in just 90 minutes. The nanocomposite performed well under visible light, making this approach suitable for practical wastewater treatment applications."

Industries such as textiles and dye manufacturing, releases wastewater that carries harmful dyes which are difficult to remove with “traditional filtration method,” the institute added.

“Bismarck Brown R dyes 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 color 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,” it said.

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NIT Roukela: Advanced hybrid treatment system

The research team of NIT Rourkela has also developed a “cutting-edge” treatment system that combines two advanced technologies, the institute added.

First advanced technology consists of “a ceramic membrane” coated with an industrial-waste, derived from Zeolite and Zinc Oxide nanocomposite. This “photocatalyst” can also break down dye molecules when exposed to light. The second technology incorporates “microbubbles” that are generated due to simple air diffuser to enhance mass transfer and it also improves the breakdown process.