IIT Guwahati develops low-cost way to measure COVID-19 using clay

India Today

07-06-2025

A research team at IIT Guwahati has come up with a new way to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 -- using clay and salt water. This method doesn't rely on heavy lab equipment or complex tests. Instead, it watches how a mix of clay, virus, and salt water settles over time, a process known as sedimentation.The study, led by Professor TV Bharat from the Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Sachin Kumar from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, explores the use of Bentonite clay.Known for sticking to pollutants, this clay also binds with viruses when placed in the right environment -- room temperature and a neutral pH.'Think of it like watching mud settle in a glass of water,' Prof. Bharat explained. 'The way the clay falls can tell us if a virus is there and how much of it is present.'The team tested the method using a virus similar to coronavirus and the Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). They checked the results using existing detection tools like RT-PCR and plaque assays. The clay-based approach gave matching results -- without the need for expensive setups.This method could be useful not just for detecting COVID-19 but also other viruses, like those affecting poultry farms. It could be especially handy in places that don't have access to high-end labs.The researchers now plan to team up with medical labs and industry players to test this approach on real-world samples. If all goes well, they hope to turn it into a simple field kit for future use.This idea -- watching how fast clay sinks -- could become part of how we deal with virus outbreaks in the future, especially in areas that need quick, low-cost solutions.
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