Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed an innovative, low-cost ceramic adsorbent capable of removing 95 percent of dye pollutants from industrial wastewater.
The breakthrough, led by Prof Sunipa Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor in the Department of Ceramic Engineering, along with research scholars Susant Mohapatra and Sourav Ranjan Satpathy, targets the growing problem of dye-laden industrial effluents contaminating rivers, lakes, and other natural water bodies.
Industries such as textiles, dyeing, and printing generate vast quantities of coloured chemical waste that can damage aquatic ecosystems and pose serious risks to human health. Existing treatment technologies are often costly, energy-intensive, and generate additional waste streams, limiting their large-scale adoption.
To tackle these challenges, the NIT Rourkela team has engineered a water-based ceramic adsorbent using industrial by-products including fly ash, Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS), and kaolin clay.
Fly ash is produced during coal combustion in thermal power plants, while GGBS is generated by the iron and steel industry—both materials that are produced in huge quantities and present significant disposal challenges.
By converting these industrial wastes into a high-performance ceramic adsorbent, the researchers have created a technology specifically designed to remove Methylene Blue, a widely used dye commonly found in industrial wastewater.
Speaking about the research, Prof. Bhattacharyya said, “A notable aspect of our research is the use of raw kaolin clay rather than heat-treated metakaolin, which is commonly employed in geopolymer-based adsorbents. By eliminating this energy-intensive heating step, we have been able to make the production process more sustainable and economically viable.”
Laboratory tests demonstrated more than 95 percent removal efficiency for Methylene Blue, highlighting the material’s potential as an effective wastewater treatment solution.
The innovation also offers a significant economic advantage. The ceramic adsorbent can be produced at an estimated cost of just Rs. 25–50 per kilogram, making it a highly affordable alternative to conventional wastewater treatment technologies.
Building on these promising results, the research team plans to develop porous, shaped adsorbents from industrial waste materials and evaluate their effectiveness against a wider range of pollutants.
The study demonstrates how industrial waste from one sector can be transformed into a valuable resource for another, advancing both environmental protection and circular economy principles while helping industries adopt more sustainable wastewater treatment practices.
