IIT Guwahati team builds water system removing two contaminants
Researchers at IIT Guwahati created a reactor that removes arsenic and fluoride from groundwater within just three minutes of operation.
Millions of Indians rely on groundwater for drinking but face invisible threats from fluoride and arsenic found across many districts. A recent government report highlighted contamination in hundreds of areas spanning twenty-seven different states nationwide.
Long-term exposure to these chemicals causes severe health issues like skin ailments or skeletal fluorosis that stiffens joints over time. Neither contaminant reveals its presence through taste or smell, making detection difficult without specialized testing equipment.
Professor Mihir Kumar Purkait and his team modified electrocoagulation by making the aluminium anode rotate instead of staying stationary during the process. This spinning action mixes water better and prevents passivation from building up on the electrode surface effectively.
The reactor releases aluminium ions that form tiny particles allowing arsenate and fluoride to attach and get removed quickly. Testing on real Assam groundwater showed removal of 98% of arsenate and 91% of fluoride in three minutes.