Dr Vishal Mishra
Varanasi: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology {IIT (BHU)} and Parul University have jointly developed an innovative and environmentally sustainable technology for the removal of malachite green, a highly toxic and carcinogenic dye, from industrial wastewater. The breakthrough research provides a low-cost and eco-friendly solution to a major global environmental challenge caused by industrial dye contamination.
The collaborative research was carried out by the School of Biochemical Engineering, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, and the Department of Chemical Engineering, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara. The research team included Dr. Vishal Mishra, Associate Professor, School of Biochemical Engineering, IIT (BHU), along with Mr. Alok Tiwari, Gourang Damle, Dr. Shivendu Saxena, Dr. Vishal Sandhwar, Ms. Diksha Saxena, and Dr. Dipak Jadhav from JSPM University, Pune.
The research findings have been published in the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry journal RSC Advances (2026, Vol. 16, pp. 24356–24369) under the title: “Adsorption of Malachite Green from Aqueous Solutions Using a Novel SnO₂/PANI-Co-PPy Nanocomposite.”
The innovative nanocomposite has been synthesised using orange peel extract (Citrus sinensis) as a natural reducing agent, making the technology waste-derived and environmentally sustainable. The developed material combines a co-polymerised matrix of polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPy) coated over tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles through in situ polymerisation, resulting in highly efficient adsorption performance.
Salient Features of the Technology:
- Developed using orange peel waste as a renewable and zero-cost raw material
- Achieved 97.06% removal efficiency of malachite green dye within 30 minutes
- Exhibited a remarkably high adsorption capacity of 1250 mg g⁻¹
- Requires no expensive equipment, hazardous chemicals, or skilled labour
- Non-toxic, biocompatible, energy-efficient, and scalable for industrial applications
Industrial discharge of toxic dyes remains one of the most serious environmental challenges globally. Malachite green is particularly hazardous due to its toxic, carcinogenic, and non-biodegradable nature, posing severe risks to aquatic ecosystems and public health.
Prof. Amit Patra, Director, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, congratulated the research team on this significant achievement and stated that such collaborative and translational research reflects the institute’s commitment towards addressing pressing societal and environmental challenges through sustainable technological innovations. He emphasized that IIT (BHU) continues to encourage interdisciplinary research aimed at developing affordable and impactful solutions for national and global concerns.
Speaking on the achievement, Dr. Vishal Mishra said that the collaborative work demonstrates the strong synergy between IIT (BHU) and Parul University in advancing sustainable technologies. He noted that the integration of biochemical engineering and advanced materials science has enabled the development of a practical and scalable solution for industrial wastewater treatment.
The researchers acknowledged the infrastructural and research support provided by IIT (BHU), Parul University, and K.K. Wagh Institute of Engineering Education and Research, Nashik. The team further informed that future research will focus on regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent material along with its application in real-world multi-component wastewater treatment systems.
-PIB
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