Podcast: Removing oil from water using aloe vera

October 26, 2018 Prasad Ravindranath

Uttam Manna - Podcast-Optimized Uttam Manna of IIT Guwahati explains how his team synthesised an extremely oil-repelling (super oleophobic) membrane using an aloe vera gel-based coating modified with some molecules to remove oil from water. The membrane could be reused at least 25 times to separate light and heavy oil from water with the efficiency of separation remaining above 97%.

Author

Prasad Ravindranath

Former Science Editor of The Hindu, Chennai, India. Has over 30 years of experience in science journalism. Writes on science, health, medicine, environment, and technology.