Researchers from IIT-Guwahati announced the development of an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wastewater treatment methods. This innovation involves the combination of biochar derived from Spent Mushroom Waste and laccase, a natural enzyme. The new technology, known as BHEEMA (Biochar-based Hydrological Enzyme regulated Efficient Mechanism for Antibiotics removal), utilises laccase-mediated degradation to eliminate antibiotics from wastewater. This process helps prevent the formation of toxic byproducts that are often associated with conventional treatment methods. The findings from this research were published in the esteemed Journal of Environmental Management.
The system has gained recognition as the seventh finalist under the Water Sanitation theme of the Vishwakarma Awards 2024, an event organised by the Maker Bhavan Foundation. Sudip Mitra, who is the Head of the School of Agro and Rural Technology at IIT-Guwahati, stated that the research team focused on removing harmful fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Norfloxacin, which are typically present in hospital discharges, industrial effluents, and surface water.
Mitra highlighted that, unlike traditional wastewater treatment methods, including advanced oxidation and membrane reactors which tend to be expensive and produce secondary pollutants, their approach employs laccase, a naturally occurring enzyme, to break down the contaminants. To enhance the enzyme's stability for reuse, the research group immobilised it on biochar made from spent mushroom waste, a readily available agro-waste product in the region.
According to the researchers, the biochar developed is seen as a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable alternative to activated charcoal. The system demonstrated a degradation efficiency of 90–95 percent for fluoroquinolone antibiotics within three hours of application, based on lab-scale tests. Anamika Ghose, a PhD scholar, pointed out that a significant aspect of the system is that the byproducts formed during the degradation process are non-toxic, making this technology both sustainable and safe for the environment.
The prototype was developed in collaboration with Latha Rangan, a professor in the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT-Guwahati, along with her research scholars. The overall costs for the lab-scale prototype ranged between Rs 4,000 and 5,000, which included the expenses for materials, enzyme immobilization, and reactor setup, indicating its feasibility for scaling up and implementation in both urban and rural areas.
Looking ahead, the research team plans to scale up the developed prototype and is engaging with stakeholders for field testing and market validation. Recently, they organized a hands-on training session for local farmers on biochar preparation and its various benefits for agriculture. This session, conducted in collaboration with the District Agricultural Office of Morigaon, saw the participation of 30 local farmers.
ALSO READ: First Gaganyaan mission to launch by the end of this year: ISRO chief Narayanan
Inputs from PTI
