Novosibirsk: Scientists at the Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have created a new biosorbent from agricultural waste-buckwheat husks. It is designed to purify wastewater and natural water bodies from heavy metals, and may in the future be used in cartridges for home drinking water filters.
According to Emirates News Agency, Tatyana Skripkina, a senior researcher at the Institute, stated that the sorbent is processed from buckwheat husks-a bio-renewable material available in large quantities in Russia but has not yet found widespread use. Skripkina explained that buckwheat husks contain melanin, a polymer that can absorb metals. The team has learned to modify it to increase its sorption capacity while ensuring stability, allowing the resulting product to be used in purification systems. The biosorbent is designed to work both independently for local water purification and in other water-mobile systems for purifying running water.
The production process involves the mechanochemical treatment of husks in specialized mills with a small quantity of oxidants added, allowing the melanin within the husk cells to actively bind heavy metals and other pollutants. Initially tested in laboratory mills, the technology is now being transferred to industrial plants capable of processing tonnes of material per hour. With buckwheat husks being an inexpensive raw material, the technology is expected to remain affordable, requiring only five percent of oxidant to produce the sorbent.