Ultra thin water filter developed

MUMBAI, January 31: The Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre BARC has developed technology based on filtration through nanomembranes 8211; thinner than a billionth of a metre 8211; to treat waste water.

BARC has also developed a technology based on reverse osmosis in which water moves from a caution across a membrane for waste water treatment.Water generated from nano-filtration NF process can be used for general use except drinking, while water from reverse osmosis RO treatment can be used for cooling towers and boilers in power plants, a BARC report says.Reverse osmosis is widely used for desalination of brackish water, treatment of industrial effluents including radioactive effluents, and in water treatment for process industries.

BARC has developed compact spiral modules in different sizes for reverse osmosis and is testing them for large-scale industrial applications.A typical reverse osmosis effluent treatment plant of 100 cubic metres per day capacity would cost Rs. two million, and helprecover 80 per cent of the water for re-use. However, the harmful constituents will be concentrated in the remaining 20 per cent and there should be proper mechanism to discharge this reject stream in to the sewers as per prevailing environmental standards, the report cautions.