Low-Energy Technology for Biopharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment
Context
Researchers at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus have developed an integrated low-energy wastewater treatment system that can effectively treat highly contaminated biopharmaceutical wastewater while recovering reusable water and generating methane-rich biogas.
Key Highlights
- The newly developed technology combines electrical disinfection, biological treatment and energy recovery into a single integrated wastewater treatment process.
- It is specifically designed to treat wastewater generated by the pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing sector, which often contains antibiotics, disease-causing microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes.
- Compared to conventional sterilisation methods, the system requires substantially less energy while enabling the recovery of valuable resources such as treated water and biogas.
- The research team has filed an Indian patent and is collaborating with industry partners to facilitate large-scale commercial deployment of the technology.
- By promoting wastewater reuse and energy recovery, the innovation supports sustainable industrial wastewater management and advances India’s circular economy goals.
Way Forward
Strengthen industry–academia partnerships to accelerate technology transfer, encourage industries to adopt energy-efficient wastewater treatment systems, and integrate resource recovery and circular economy principles into industrial pollution control and environmental management policies.