LAHORE – Pakistani Researchers at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad(UAF) have found out a new cheaper technology for water filtration.
Researchers have developed a new technology to filter arsenic out ofpolluted water using watermelon rind, a local news outletlink reported.
The cost-effective technology was developed after examining naturalbiowastes for arsenic removal after which it was discovered that chemicallymodified “xanted watermelon rind” is effective in catching arsenic which isusually found in abundance in groundwater. This method proved to remove 95per cent of arsenic in polluted water.
The filter is developed by first washing watermelon rind to remove dirt. Itis then heated to dry in sunlight and oven. The dried rind is then turnedinto powder in an electric grinder. Xanthated watermelon rind’s next phaseis a fine example of chemistry as the powder is treated with sulfuric acid,which opens the biopolymer rings of the material and exposes many surfacefunctional groups for reaction. The UAF team then treated it with Carbondisulfide – as sulfide has a unique quality to bind arsenic from water andthe xanthated watermelon filter material is almost ready.
Speaking to a local news outlet, Dr Nabeel Khan Niazi, the supervisor ofthe research, said that the filter would cost around Rs5,000 to Rs6,000whereas other filters cost around Rs20,000 to Rs25,000.