By Andrea Braswell
Rice is the most-eaten food on the planet, and its discarded outer husk results in some 300 billion pounds of waste per year. FIU chemistry researcher Islam Ibrahim Hussein says the inedible castoffs could be the key to cleaner water.
Rice husk, an agricultural byproduct, is at the center of his research to develop a more sustainable way to remove contaminants from water. Working as part of an international team of scientists, the researchers converted the discarded rice husk into a sponge-like filter capable of capturing industrial synthetic dyes. In the first round of tests, the material captured brilliant green and malachite green dyes, two industrial dyes commonly used to evaluate water treatment technologies. The findings suggest the material could become a promising approach for removing contaminants from water while also reducing agricultural waste.
Not only was the material effective. It’s also reusable. The researchers used the same material in subsequent tests and found it can be reused at least five times without any loss of effectiveness. The team also evaluated the environmental cost of making the material, something research often overlooks. When rice husk is discarded, it can create environmental challenges, especially when it is burned, releasing pollutants into the air, or improperly disposed of in large quantities. So, by using an agricultural byproduct that would otherwise go to waste, the researchers say they can reduce the overall environmental footprint of creating the filter.
“We need green methods or friendly methods that will not create another problem in the future,” said Hussein.
Source : fiu.edu