This Panjab University patent solves three pollution problems at once

Researchers at Panjab University (PU) in Chandigarh have secured a patent for a technology that tackles three problems with one process: cleaning toxic wastewater, generating green hydrogen and producing a valuable industrial chemical. The patent, titled ‘Nanocomposite Material for Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Hydrogen Generation Coupled with Benzyl Alcohol Conversion’, was awarded to Dr Pinki Sehrawat, Prof Sushil Kumar Kansal, Prof Surinder Kumar Mehta and Dr Surinder Singh.

At the core of the invention is a nanocomposite photocatalyst that breaks down hazardous dyes found in wastewater while simultaneously generating hydrogen when exposed to solar or visible light. University officials said the same reaction also converts benzyl alcohol into benzaldehyde, a chemical widely used across the pharmaceutical, fragrance and chemical industries.

What makes the innovation notable is that it combines three normally separate processes — wastewater remediation, renewable hydrogen production and green chemical synthesis — into a single integrated system. University officials described it as a sustainable approach to environmental management that also produces clean energy as a byproduct rather than treating pollution control and energy generation as separate challenges.

The research team said the work aligns directly with the goals of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, and that it could feed into further research and skill development across photocatalysis, nanotechnology, renewable energy and hydrogen production. They added that the technology has the potential to encourage industry-academia collaboration and support the development of indigenous clean-energy solutions.

The researchers acknowledged the institutional support and laboratory facilities provided by Panjab University over the course of the project, which culminated in the patent grant.

Wikimedia Commons/by Juichi1