CSIR-IICT develops advanced nanofiber membranes for efficient textile wastewater treatment

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective. First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming. Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day. Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features. Scientists at the Hyderabad-based CSIR–Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) have achieved a significant breakthrough in sustainable water purification with the development of an advanced electrospun nanofiber membrane for textile wastewater treatment. Their latest research focuses on removing crystal violet dye—a hazardous pollutant widely discharged by the textile industry. The team, led by Chief Scientist S. Sridhar, has spent the past few years developing a next-generation mixed-matrix nanofiber membrane based on a blend of polyvinylidene fluoride and polyethersulfone, engineered for improved performance. The membrane is fabricated using electrospinning and enhanced with advanced nanomaterials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), graphene oxide, and graphene nanoplatelets. According to Dr. Sridhar, the optimized membrane demonstrates exceptional filtration performance, achieving nearly 99.1% dye rejection efficiency—significantly outperforming conventional membrane systems. Nanofiber technology has gained prominence due to its high surface area, interconnected porous structure, superior permeability, and strong adsorption properties. These features enable efficient removal of dyes and toxic contaminants while reducing energy consumption during filtration. The addition of nanomaterials further enhances hydrophilicity, antifouling characteristics, mechanical stability, and overall separation efficiency, he said. The team is now working towards scaling up the membrane for industrial applications. As chair of the Chemical Engineering and Process Development Department at CSIR-IICT, Dr. Sridhar has led multiple initiatives addressing effluent treatment challenges across industries developing novel membrane-based solutions integrated into processes aimed at achieving zero liquid discharge. Over the years, several large-scale projects have demonstrated the practical impact of this work. These include a 6,000-litre-per-batch nanofiltration plant in West Bengal