Scientists develop eco-friendly filter to combat uranium contamination

A team of scientists from Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT), here, has developed an innovative, eco-friendly bio-based filter capable of removing over 90 per cent of uranium contamination from water. The filter, which is derived from agricultural waste such as banana leaves and collagen-based hybrid polymers, is cost-effective and sustainable.

The scientists, led by Prof Rohit Mehra, an expert in the Department of Physics at NIT and Prof BS Kaith from the Department of Chemistry, have already created a prototype. They plan to commercialise the filter in the future once they address the challenge of safely handling the uranium-laden filtrate.

Their work is outlined in two research papers — ‘Development of a Biowaste-Derived Cellulose/Collagen-Based Adsorbent for Efficient Uranium Sequestration’ and ‘Synthesis of Nanocellulose-Pectin Hybrid Adsorbent for Uranium Removal’. These papers aim to develop sustainable solutions to the state’s water crisis, driven by uranium and heavy metal contamination.

Punjab, often called the agricultural heartland of India, is facing a severe environmental crisis with alarming levels of uranium and other toxic metals in its groundwater. The Malwa region, which includes districts such as Bathinda, Mansa, Ludhiana and Faridkot, has been hit hardest, with uranium concentrations in drinking water reaching dangerously high levels. This contamination has raised serious health concerns, with the region being referred to as the ‘cancer belt’ due to a sharp rise in cancer cases linked to uranium exposure.

Since the early 2000s, Prof Mehra and his team have been researching uranium contamination across the region. Their studies have revealed uranium levels in the state’s groundwater ranging from 0.5 parts per billion (ppb) to as high as 579 ppb — far exceeding the World Health Organisation’s safe limit of 30 ppb. These dangerous levels pose significant health risks, including DNA damage, kidney failure and cancer.

Prof Mehra attributes the contamination to a combination of natural and human-made factors. The region’s geology, particularly the radioactive Tosham Hills, contributes to uranium leaching into the groundwater. Additionally, the widespread use of phosphate fertilisers, which contain uranium, exacerbates the problem.

The contamination goes beyond uranium, with high levels of chromium, fluorides, arsenic and lead also found in parts of the state. In collaboration with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Prof Mehra’s team has already worked to tackle chromium contamination in the Kala Sangian Drain, here. Prof Mehra and his team are preparing to launch an extensive project to investigate the impact of fertilisers and pesticides on uranium and heavy metal contamination. The study would explore the presence of radioactive elements in groundwater and propose viable solutions to mitigate the contamination.