Here’s a solution to counter the lack in quality of packaged water distributed in the city.

Thiruvananthapuram : 

Here’s a solution to counter the lack in quality of packaged water distributed in the city. Even as concerns are being raised over the safe consumption of bottled water in the city, a group of students from Mohandas College of Engineering have come up with an innovative solution which helps in getting rid of the E-coli in the water and acting as a disinfectant. 

The project titled ‘Design of a water disinfection system using silver and copper nanoparticle impregnated coconut shell waste carbon’ was proposed by a team of students- Shilpa K Nayana, Akhila Krishnan C and Shilpa Raj S from Mohandas College of Engineering and Technology (MCET), Nedumangad. They were guided by their professors, K M Usha, the principal investigator and  S S Shijina, the co-investigator of the project.

“ The inspiration behind this project is the sense of responsibility towards society as citizens in general and biotechnologists in particular. After the floods, the presence of E- Coli had become a major concern with many packaged water bottles testing positive to the presence of the bacteria. This is why we thought of developing a project using raw materials which could not only help in purifying water but also act as a disinfectant which can kill 99 per cent of E Coli,” said  Shilpa K Nayana, one of the innovators.

Decontamination of drinking water by making use of the raw materials, which are available in abundance, is the prime objective of the project. The project envisages to set up a synergetic system capable of adsorption as well as destructing microbial organisms. This innovative attempt makes use of anti-bacterial property of nanoparticles and absorption. Silver and copper are synthesised and impregnated onto the coconut waste to provide disinfection against E Coli and other organisms. “Unlike the normal water purifiers that only help in purifying water but fail in disinfecting, our innovation has both the purifying and disinfecting facility,” said Shilpa. The students say the procedures are cheap and safer.  It also helps in recycling water thereby reducing the demand for fresh water. 

The team was also selected for funding by Kerala Technological University (KTU) Center for Engineering Research and Development (CERD) under the scheme ‘CERD Student Project 2018’. The team has also bagged the second position in idea presentation at ‘TheTech Conclave’, which is the flagship event of Drishti, the annual technical festival of College of Engineering, Trivandrum.  ‘Engineers for society’ was this year’s theme. This accomplishment has paved the way for direct entry to ‘Idea Day’ by Kerala Startup Mission.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Steni Simon / Express News Service / January 16th, 2019