Blog | Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME)

The 1st patent from the BME Department on Cost-effective water treatment using jute stick and other biomaterials offers a promising solution for desalination and arsenic removal from seawater and groundwater. Jute sticks and other biomaterials, are an abundant agricultural byproduct, can be processed into activated carbon or biochar with excellent adsorption properties. These materials efficiently remove arsenic by binding it to their porous surfaces, while modifications with iron or other metal oxides enhance their effectiveness. The biodegradability, low cost, and wide availability of jute sticks and other biomaterials make them an environmentally friendly and scalable option for water purification, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged regions. Our invention relates to water purification and desalination technology, specifically to a desalination filter designed to remove salts including heavy metals and other impurities. from seawater or lake water or contaminated ground water to produce potable water. In addition to seawater desalination, our invention relates to the removal of arsenic from arsenic-¬contaminated groundwater. Our invention provides a desalination filter that efficiently removes salt, microorganisms, and impurities from seawater using a novel biomaterials-based filtration medium and method. The biomaterial filter comprises a multilayer structure, each designed to target different contaminants. The invention reduces the energy required for desalination, thus making it an economical solution for water purification. The biomaterial filter includes a membrane-based filtration system. The filter is designed to operate under low-pressure conditions (2-3 bar), reducing energy consumption compared to traditional reverse osmosis and thermal desalination systems. The invented technology. is compatible not only with the desalination of seawater but also with the removal of arsenic from arsenic-contaminated groundwater. The biomaterial filter is constructed with a cylinder mold diameter of 3 inches (inner) with a pressure of 3-4 tons. Jute stick powder was washed with distilled water then dried and poured into the cylinder mold and compressed with a IO-tone compression force. After compression, we found a cylinder-shaped solid biomaterial filter of 6 inches which was then placed into a chamber with a thin layer of glass wool placed on top and bottom of the biomaterial. The biomaterial filter membrane is designed to remove dissolved salts and heavy metals from the water. The biomaterial filter membrane has a small pore size allowing the passage of water molecules while rejecting the majority of ions including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and heavy metals. Seawater enters the filter through an inlet where it passes first through the pre-filtration layer (Pureit/ Nova filter). This pre-treated water flows through the biomaterial filter layer (claim innovation), where the desalination process occurs by removing salts and heavy metals. The filtered water exits through the outlet as filtered water and wastewater are removed from the wastewater pipe. The filter operates under low pressure (2-3 bars) compared to traditional reverse osmosis systems, which typically require pressures above 40-82 bars. This significant reduction in operating pressure leads to lower energy consumption and cost savings. Finally, the water is passed through the second filtration layer of 0.0.1 microns (Pureit/ Nova filter), removing any filter column biomaterials mixing with water.
Name of the Inventor: Nazmul Karim Mazumder; Md Ushama Shafoyat and Prof Dr. Md Kaiissar Mannoor