Prototype to treat pharma waste in the making by IICT

Scientists at IICT have developed a prototype which, if further developed, will help solve a major issue of treating the pharmaceutical waste and removing antibiotic content from it.

HYDERABAD: Scientists at IICT have developed a prototype which, if further developed, will help solve a major issue of treating the pharmaceutical waste and removing antibiotic content from it.

At present, pharmaceutical effluent is being treated before being let into water bodies but much of the antibiotic content in the effluent is not removed thus polluting rivers with antibiotics. Moreover, aerobic bacteria is used which increases the cost.

Scientists at MSG of IICT have developed, what they have termed ‘anaerobic membrane bioreactor’, which will not just treat waste water but also clear the it of bacteria and turbidity.

Dr S Sridhar, head of MSG, said while the bioreactor has proven effective in treating municipal waste water, its effectiveness is low when it comes to pharma effluent. The Chemical Oxygen Demand has to be around 250 mg/litre before treated effluent is let off into water bodies. For testing the bioreactor, a sample of effluent was brought from a pharma company which had a COD of 60,000 mg/litre. However, through the reactor it could be reduced only to 28,000 mg/litre.

Dr Sridhar said, “We could not find the right anaerobic bacteria which can survive such highly polluted effluent and break it down. Research is on to find the right bacteria.”

They have applied for a grant from Department of Science and Technology for developing the prototype further.

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