IISER Pune’s new material removes pollutants from water Premium
The Hindu
Access to clean and drinkable water has now not only become a local problem but global as well. Wate
Access to clean and drinkable water has now not only become a local problem but global as well. Water contamination is one of the world’s leading causes of death and the problem is only getting worse. To tackle this, our team at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune came up with a custom-designed unique molecular sponge-like material — macro/microporous ionic organic framework — which can swiftly clean polluted water by soaking up sinister contaminants. The results were published recently in the journal, Angewandte Chemie.
Systematic studies have identified various organic (organic dyes, antibiotics, pesticides, etc.) as well as inorganic toxic pollutants such as iodides, oxo-pollutants like perrhenate that are carcinogenic in fresh water sources and can pose direct threat to humanity and living organisms.
In general, commonly utilised sorbent materials often trap these pollutants through ion-exchange strategy to purify water but suffer from poor kinetics and specificity. To mitigate this issue, our group prepared a newly engineered material called viologen-unit grafted organic-framework (iVOFm).
The material employs amalgamation of electrostatics driven ion-exchange combined with nanometer-sized macropores and specific binding sites for the targeted pollutants. The size and number of tunable macropores along with the strong electrostatic interaction of iVOFm can quickly remove various toxic pollutants from water.
To develop this unique material, our team employed a make-and-break strategy to grow a charged porous organic polymer (POP) as a sponge-like infinite framework on silica nanoparticles that is used as a template. Following this, the silica nanoparticles were strategically removed to create ordered hierarchical interconnected macro/microporosity throughout the material.
This material features inherent cationic nature and macroporosity to allow fast diffusion of pollutants. When tested for a wide array of water pollutants, it showed ultrafast capture of all the pollutants — both organic and inorganic — with over 93% removal in just 30 seconds.
Among all the tested pollutants, the new material showed ultrafast removal of sulfadimethoxine antibiotic from water almost completely. Even in the presence of other co-existing anions such as nitrates, chloride, and bromide, the removal of sulfadimethoxine antibiotic was extremely high within a minute. The engineered material could remove sulfadimethoxine antibiotic with high efficiency when tested using different real water samples.
Known for its hand-embroidered, wedged sneakers, Anaar collaborated with four designers for their runway collection
Controversial technologies intended to offset the effects of atmospheric carbon should banned until properly assessed, a group of politicians and scientists have warned
Controversial technologies intended to offset the effects of atmospheric carbon should banned until properly assessed, a group of politicians and scientists have warned
A video on the K-Circle Quiz Club in Hyderabad and its members who have sustained this group for over 50 years
ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission to Sun's L1 point successful; data collection by STEPS payload begins. ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission to study Sun from L1 point successful; STEPS payload begins data collection.
Birds in India are facing poor conditions due to many factors, including cats. Studies have found cats to be the "single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality" for birds and mammals in the US. Ecologist Monica Kaushik has studied cats' hunting habits in Dehradun and found pet cats hunt birds the most. Cats maintain a 'landscape of fear' and their saliva contains bacteria lethal to birds. Debate on the proper way to deal with cats has spiralled in the West, but India has nearly no data.
Check out The Hindu’s science wrap featuring top 7 stories on new discoveries, findings, and studies in the scientific world from this week.
Germany became the 29th country to sign the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led multilateral agreement meant to establish norms of behaviour in space and on the lunar surface
Aratrik Dev Varman’s latest collab, which was launched at the 2023 AD Design Show, features tropical landscapes and hat tips to Henri Rousseau, French toile de Jouy textiles and Japanese woodcuts
As more people strap on designer rucksacks, trekking groups in India are innovating to be less intimidating. Luxury trekking companies now host smaller groups, provide lavish meals, roomier tents and network connectivity up in the hills
Pooja & Piyush Associates' steel construction projects demonstrate green quotient, fast execution, flexibility, and recyclability. Their Heer Radha Residence and Nuts and Bolts Residence feature steel columns, salvaged wood, PVC, clay blocks, and rotatable louvres. These projects are climate-responsive, use natural insulation, and reduce the carbon footprint.