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The system removes two major groundwater contaminants within minutes, offering strong potential for affordable community drinking water treatment at an estimated cost of ₹18–₹58 per 1,000 litres GUWAHATI, 25th August 2026: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) researchers have developed a water-treatment technology that can remove arsenic and fluoride simultaneously from contaminated groundwater. This could be a vital contribution towards ensuring safer and affordable drinking water in regions affected by naturally-occurring groundwater pollution. The researchers from IIT Guwahati developed a rotating-anode electrocoagulation (RA-EC) reactor that achieved up to 98.2% arsenate and 91.8% fluoride removal within minutes. The initial demonstration was performed at an estimated operating cost of ₹18–₹58 per 1,000 litres of treated water, depending on contaminant concentration. A Video of Prof. Mihir K. Purkait explaining the research can be viewed and downloaded from – https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wWm3tiYjS-ueRnSJO3EQX4uowsJNIT6A The findings suggest that the technology could support a wide range of applications, including community drinking-water purification, decentralised rural water-treatment systems, treatment of arsenic- and fluoride-contaminated groundwater, industrial wastewater remediation and integration with other advanced treatment processes such as adsorption and membrane filtration. The findings were published in Chemical Engineering Journal (DoI: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.178707), a leading peer-reviewed international journal that publishes high-impact research on chemical engineering, materials, energy, environmental technologies, and process engineering. The paper was co-authored by Prof Mihir K. Purkait and Mr. Mukesh Bharti from IIT Guwahati Elaborating on the need for such research, Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, said, “Groundwater serves as the primary source of drinking water for millions of people across India. In several regions, however, it contains both arsenic and fluoride, two contaminants that pose significant long-term health risks. Treating them together has remained particularly challenging because they behave differently during conventional purification processes and compete for removal sites.” To address this challenge, the researchers from IIT Guwahati developed a faster and more efficient reactor configuration capable of simultaneously removing both arsenic and fluoride. Instead of using a stationary aluminium electrode, the IIT Guwahati team redesigned the electrocoagulation process by developing a rotating aluminium anode that continuously improves mixing inside the reactor, enhances mass transfer, renews the electrode surface, and promotes the formation of pollutant-capturing aluminium hydroxide flocs. When electricity passes through the reactor, aluminium ions and hydroxide ions combine to form microscopic flocs that bind with arsenic and fluoride, allowing both contaminants to be removed through adsorption, coagulation, and precipitation. The rotating electrode substantially improves the efficiency of this process while reducing electrode passivation, a common limitation in conventional electrocoagulation systems. Further, Mr. Mukesh Bharti, Research Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, added, “We systematically evaluated how operating conditions, including rotational speed, current density, electrode spacing, and treatment time, influence performance. Our technology was also tested under realistic groundwater chemistry, including the presence of naturally occurring ions such as calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulphate, and phosphate, as well as real groundwater samples collected from Assam.” The next phase of the research will focus on developing a pilot-scale continuous-flow version of the reactor suitable for practical deployment. Future studies will also incorporate sensor-based automated process control for real-time monitoring of parameters such as pH, conductivity, electrical current, and rotational speed, bringing the technology closer to scalable field implementation. ( Disclaimer: This report is generated from PRO services. ‘ArdorComm Media’ holds no responsibility for its content. )

Study demonstrate a single, affordable hydrogel for tissue engineering and 3D-printed chewable tablets. Goa, 25th August 2026: Researchers at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, have developed a pharmaceutical polymer-based hydrogel for 3D printing using extrusion-based method which has the potential to be used for skin tissue engineering and customised drug delivery. The study, published in the Journal of Biological Engineering, explores the use of pharmaceutical grade polymers, such as starch, maltodextrin and sodium alginate, to create hydrogels that display the desired properties needed to be 3D printed. The method could help to solve some of the issues with traditional bioinks: material variability, safety, high costs, and regulatory approvals. The research was led by Prof. Anasuya Ganguly, along with Mr. Hemant Kumar Bankhede, Ms. Maheswari Sivaravi, Ms. Antara Poi Raiturker, and Ms. Prajakta Praveen Bhende from the Department of Biological Sciences, and Prof. Asima Shaukat, Assistant Professor, Ms. Mamta Keshav Tari, Mr. Sagar B. Kale from the Department of Chemical Engineering, BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus. Developing a printable hydrogel for skin tissue engineering The researchers formulated a hydrogel designed to exhibit the flow and recovery properties necessary for extrusion-based 3D printing. The material demonstrated shear-thinning behaviour, enabling it to flow under the shear applied during printing and subsequently recover its structure after deposition. The study reported 87% thixotropic recovery, indicating its ability to retain the shape and structural integrity of the printed constructs. The researchers also evaluated the biological compatibility of the hydrogel using L929 and HaCaT cells, which are relevant to skin tissue engineering. The formulation demonstrated more than 70% cell viability in the tested cell models. The printed scaffolds also showed blood compatibility, with 5.0% haemolysis reported in the study. Confocal microscopy further provided evidence of cell growth on the crosslinked hydrogel. Prof. Anasuya Ganguly, Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, said, “This study demonstrates that pharmaceutical-grade polymers can be formulated into hydrogels with properties suitable for 3D bioprinting. The findings provide a promising foundation for exploring a single, versatile platform for applications ranging from skin tissue engineering to customised drug delivery.” Extending the bioink platform to customised drug delivery The researchers further demonstrated the versatility of the formulation by incorporating glimepiride into the hydrogel and using it to produce 3D-printed customised chewable tablets. The printed tablets demonstrated 100.4% content uniformity, indicating consistent drug loading, and exhibited a sustained drug-release profile over four hours. The findings demonstrate how 3D bioprinting could offer greater flexibility in designing oral dosage forms and potentially enable customised formulations based on specific therapeutic requirements. Prof. Asima Shaukat, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, BITS Pilani, said, “By using pharmaceutical polymers that are already established in drug formulation, this work explores how 3D bioprinting can be applied across tissue engineering and drug delivery. Our focus has been on combining material safety, printability and practical applications within a single platform.” Building on pharmaceutical polymers for biomedical application A significant feature of the work is the use of pharmaceutical polymers rather than relying exclusively on specialised or animal-derived biomaterials. The researchers’ approach builds on earlier work exploring pharmaceutical polymers as potential bioinks for soft-tissue engineering and clean bioprinting. While the findings are promising, the study represents a research-stage demonstration rather than a clinically approved treatment or commercially available 3D-printed medical product. ( Disclaimer: This report is generated from PRO services. ‘ArdorComm Media’ holds no responsibility for its content. )

Researchers propose an integrated framework to strengthen responsible AI in connecting organizational resilience, ethical decision-making, and environmental sustainability in a single model LUMAMI, NAGALAND, 24th August 2026: Nagaland University’s multi-institute international study explored a comprehensive framework that suggests a strategic Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to promote ethical decision making, transparency, environmental sustainability, and organizational resilience in AI- digital platforms. The study suggests that AI is not merely a regulatory tool but a mechanism that supports and enhances stakeholder trust by building an integrated AI with environmental sustainability and long-term organizational performance. As AI continues to shape and transform the decision making in many areas including environmental management sustainability, ethical governance and concerns relating to transparency, accountability, fairness, and gaining public trust have become crucial. The study presents an integrated framework that connects AI governance, organizational resilience, ethical decision-making, and environmental sustainability in a single model. The study used a mixed-methods approach involving 185 managers, sustainability officers, governance experts, and AI specialists from organizations using AI-enabled environmental and digital platform systems. The findings were published in NESciences (Natural and Engineering Sciences) (doi: 10.28978/nesciences.261029), an interdisciplinary research domain that integrates natural sciences and engineering to develop innovative solutions for real-world scientific and technological challenges. The paper was co-authored by an international team comprising Dr. Mohammed Shamsul Hoque, Professor of English and Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dr. R. Vasanthan, Associate Professor, Department of English, Nagaland University, Nagaland,Dr. Khriereizhünuo  Dzüvichü, Associate Professor, Department of History, Central University of Tamil Nadu,Dr. Olga Glukhova, Faculty of Linguistics and Journalism, Rostov State University of Economics, Russia,.Dr. P. Shanmuga Sundari, Assistant Professor, School of Computing, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Highlighting the importance of collaborative research on transformative technologies like AI, Prof. Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, “As AI increasingly influences decision-making processes across sectors, it is imperative that technological advancement is guided by ethical principles, institutional accountability, and long-term sustainability goals. This research underscores the importance of developing governance mechanisms that promote social responsibility and environmental stewardship while enhancing organizational effectiveness. Such interdisciplinary and international collaborations reflect Nagaland University’s commitment to research excellence and its engagement with contemporary global challenges.” Elaborating on this research Dr. R. Vasanthan said, “Artificial Intelligence has great potential in terms of transforming the organization, it is not simply about regulating technology but it is a strategic approach that helps organizations to use AI responsibly with transparency, accountability while protecting the public interest and ensuring ethical decision making. This study aims to benefit policymakers, industrial leaders and also researchers by providing a practical framework for designing responsible AI strategies that promote sustainable development, strengthen stakeholder trust, and support ethical decision-making in AI-driven organizations.” This research helps scientists: Promote for responsible AI adoption Strengthen organizational resilience through AI governance. Improve transparency, accountability, and stakeholder trust. Support sustainable environmental management through AI ( Disclaimer: This report is generated from PRO services. ‘ArdorComm Media’ holds no responsibility for its content. )