IIT (ISM) researchers find ways to remove heavy metals from cow dung

The research project which also fulfills the objective of the Gobardhan Framework of Swachh Bharat Mission aims to help villages in effectively managing their cattle and biodegradable waste.

IIT (ISM) researchers find ways to remove heavy metals from cow dung

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) ISM has derived adsorbents that may help in removing heavy metals from cow dung, which can later be developed as Electrodes for energy storage devices. The research project which also fulfills the objective of the Gobardhan Framework of Swachh Bharat Mission aims to help villages in effectively managing their cattle and biodegradable waste. This is in accordance with the objectives of the Swajal Scheme of the Central Government meant to provide clean and safe drinking water to the rural population.

The team is currently working on the development of cow dung-derived cost-effective adsorbent to remove heavy metals from water which can later be used to develop an energy storage device.

The research team is being led by Associate Professor at Department of Environmental Engineering, Brijesh Kumar Mishra, assisted by Associate professor of Department of Chemistry Ganesh Chandra Nayak, and research associate of Environmental Engineering department Dr Sonalika, has worked on the project with dual objective of ensuring water decontamination as well as energy conservation. 

According to Mishra, the study conducted by the research team indicated that indigenous cows found in the Country have some extraordinary features. “Cow dung is composed of several mineral types such as phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon, which mainly come from lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose” said Mishra.  Cattle rearing cow dung is a viable option for generating energy storage device as each cattle can generate approximately 9–15 kg of cow dung per day, he added.

Counting the usage of cow dung-derived adsorbent for the development of Electrodes as energy storage device, Mishra said, “These energy storage devices, being developed from waste materials, would be very cheap and can be integrated with solar panels in rural areas, which can be used to light up homes, roads, public toilets etc.” 

"These devices would be affordable, sustainable and cleaner with no impact on the environment, he added. Regarding the other part of their research with regard to usage of cow dung-derived adsorbent for development of Electrodes as energy storage device, Mishra informed that these energy storage devices, being developed from waste materials, would be very cheap and can be integrated with solar panels in rural areas, which can be used to light up homes, roads, public toilets etc. This type of device would be affordable, sustainable and cleaner with no impact on the environment," he said.

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