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INST Mohali develops AI-powered solar filter to purify 99% toxic wastewater

INST Mohali develops AI-powered solar filter to purify 99% toxic wastewater

Indian Express11-07-2025
In a significant breakthrough for Punjab's water pollution crisis, scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed an AI-powered, solar-assisted filtration system capable of removing up to 99% of hazardous chemicals from wastewater.
As the state continues to grapple with the discharge of 764 million litres of untreated industrial and domestic sewage daily into the Sutlej via Ludhiana's heavily polluted Buddha Nullah, the innovation offers a ray of hope.
'Our technique targets highly toxic industrial dyes like Congo Red (CR) and Methylene Blue (MB), commonly used in textile and pharmaceutical industries,' lead researcher Dr. Aviru Basu told The Indian Express. 'These dyes not only discolor water but also cause skin disorders, respiratory problems, and long-term health issues.'
The filtration system uses a hybrid 3D-printed scaffold made from biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA), coated with bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃) — a solar-activated catalyst. 'Unlike traditional wastewater treatments like electrochemical or ozone processes, which are expensive and energy-intensive, our technology is low-cost, eco-friendly, reusable, and powered by renewable energy,' said Dr. Basu.
The innovation, called Piezo-Photocatalysis, activates the catalyst using a combination of solar light and gentle vibrations, allowing it to function effectively even under changing weather conditions. Lab results showed a 98.9% removal of Congo Red and 74.3% of Methylene Blue, surpassing many existing advanced water treatment methods.
The system was successfully tested on real wastewater samples collected from a large industrial drainage point in Jaipur, where over 100 factories discharge effluents. 'The results were very satisfactory,' said Dr. Basu.
To boost performance further, the team integrated Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) — a machine learning model — to accurately predict how the system would behave under different environmental and pollutant conditions. 'Our AI model has up to 99% prediction accuracy,' Dr. Basu added.
INST is now collaborating with plant biotechnologist Dr. Adriza Basu of Chandigarh University to improve the system's long-term sustainability. The project, funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has been published in Nano Energy, a journal by Elsevier.
Dr. Basu believes the scalable technology could be a game-changer for rural and peri-urban areas. 'If the Punjab government adopts this, we could safely discharge treated water into the Sutlej. It would be a giant leap toward cleaning Buddha Nullah and addressing the state's toxic water crisis,' he said.
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Data breach at ICAR hits key recruitment, agri research projects
Data breach at ICAR hits key recruitment, agri research projects

Indian Express

time4 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Data breach at ICAR hits key recruitment, agri research projects

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India Selected to Host International Space Leaders for Karman Week 2025
India Selected to Host International Space Leaders for Karman Week 2025

Business Standard

time20 hours ago

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India Selected to Host International Space Leaders for Karman Week 2025

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Has Chandipura changed its pattern? ICMR teams visit Gujarat as samples of all 14 deceased children test negative for virus
Has Chandipura changed its pattern? ICMR teams visit Gujarat as samples of all 14 deceased children test negative for virus

Indian Express

time3 days ago

  • Indian Express

Has Chandipura changed its pattern? ICMR teams visit Gujarat as samples of all 14 deceased children test negative for virus

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