A novel nanotechnology-driven water purification system was launched on Sunday, October 12 at the opening of India’s first Semiconductor Innovation Museum, T-Chip SIM, in Hyderabad, according to ANI. Developed by researchers at the University of Hyderabad, the system is intended to clean industrial and urban wastewater and contribute to the revival of the Musi River.
Advanced filtration to tackle industrial toxins
Professor Swati Ghosh Acharya, lead researcher on the project, told ANI that her team has engineered new nanomaterials specially designed to remove toxic heavy metal ions, high total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) – pollutants frequently discharged by industries and municipal systems.
The new filter operates as a tertiary treatment stage, improving the output from existing sewage treatment plants (STPs). “Roughly fifty per cent of untreated waste still makes its way into the Musi River. We intend to stop that flow and this technology is poised to play a major role,” Acharya said.
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AI, satellites and ground-level monitoring
In partnership with UK-based researcher Kaviva Gawaza, the project integrates artificial intelligence and satellite imaging to pinpoint pollution sources. “We begin with satellite imaging to detect likely pollution hotspots, then cross-check with real-time on-ground data for metal ions, turbidity, nitrates, phosphates and other contaminants,” Acharya explained.
This approach allows targeted deployment of the filtration system, concentrating efforts where contamination is most severe.
Reusing water and reducing waste
A significant breakthrough of the technology is its ability to process waste from reverse osmosis (RO) systems. “Usually, 40 to 50 per cent of water is rejected by RO due to high TDS. Passing that stream through our filter can reduce TDS to below 10, making it suitable for reuse,” Acharya said.
The system follows a circular model: it recycles wastewater, reduces energy demand and eschews plastic membranes, thereby cutting plastic waste associated with conventional filtration systems. “We reduce the energy cost, water footprint and carbon footprint of treatment, while avoiding the plastic waste that many water-treatment firms generate,” she asserted.
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Rescuing a historic river
Once the lifeblood of Hyderabad, the Musi River has suffered decades of pollution from unchecked industrial and urban discharge. Acharya emphasised that the project seeks to restore this waterway by partnering with industries to treat and repurpose their effluent. “The Musi has, over time, turned almost into a drain. We want to reverse that by working with companies to treat their wastewater and reuse it,” she said.
The technology was unveiled during the launch of T-Chip SIM, marking a convergence of semiconductor innovation and environmental stewardship. Whether the system will be adopted at scale depends on local agency collaborations and industrial willingness to retrofit treatment practices.
