Indian Scientists Discover Bacteria That Eats Toxic Metals From Water, Making It Safe
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) have discovered a bacteria capable of separating toxic metal from water, making the water safe for human consumption.The research was published in the international "Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering", where the scientists named the bacteria "Microbacterium paraoxydans strain VSVM IIT (BHU)".?
The strain that makes water safe
The strain was isolated by Dr. Vishal Mishra and PhD student Veer Singh who removed the toxins from water that was procured from a contaminated site.The bacteria separates toxic hexavalent chromium from wastewater.?
If consumed, this metal is responsible for causing health problems among humans including different kinds of caners, liver ailments, and kidney issues.According to the researchers, the bacterial strain is able to tolerate high concentrations of hexavalent chromium, which they believe is highly effective for removing the toxic material from wastewater when compared to conventional methods.?
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If this strain is deployed in water treatment practices, the need for an extra separation process is effectively eliminated. The researchers also claim that the bacterial treatment is cheaper in terms of required equipment and chemicals.?
To ascertain its efficacy, the scientists tested hexavalent chromium and the bacteria's reaction to it in industrial as well as synthetic wastewater and found satisfactory results.?
The goal of this research
The research aims to focus on cost effective water treatment methods, including hexavalent chromium. Bacteria is easy to cultivate and can serve the purpose extremely well. Unlike water treatment, no skilled workforce is required to culture bacteria.?
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Its easy-to-use capability could serve multiple functions in India where clean water access remains a privilege in many regions.Water-borne diseases kill 3.4 million people in the world, mostly in developing countries each year, according to World Health Organization (WHO).?
Heavy metals like hexavalent chromium can cause cancer among people, a big problem especially in India and China. Most of this metal is consumed through contaminated water and these IIT-BHU researchers hope to make life better for millions in the developing world.
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