In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, an ingenious solution has been developed to address the persisting threat posed by Covid-19 waste. By delving into the properties of compacted natural clays, the scientists have unlocked the ability to effectively curb the airborne transmission of viral pathogens. Published in the esteemed American Chemical Society journal, Langmuir, the study marks a significant milestone in safeguarding public health and underscores the urgency for proper management and safe disposal protocols.
Lingering Peril of Covid-19 Waste
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the generation of biomedical waste emerged as a critical concern, harboring substantial risks to human health, food safety, animal welfare, and the environment at large. Hospitals and isolation facilities found themselves grappling with copious amounts of potentially infectious waste, which was often treated and disposed of alongside municipal solid waste. However, the existing geosynthetic landfill liners proved inadequate in the face of landfill leachate containing high-concentration salt solutions. Consequently, these facilities became susceptible to the escape of infectious viral pathogens, potentially giving rise to secondary infections among humans. The need for immediate attention to proper waste management and safe disposal practices became glaringly evident.
Innovative Approach
Driven by the necessity to understand the fate of viruses in the presence of compacted clays, such as bentonite and kaolin, the researchers embarked on a quest to explore their potential. Pioneering this field of study, they embarked on measuring various parameters, including equilibrium sorption parameters, diffusion coefficient, and retardation factor of the virus within compacted clays. Their pioneering experiments utilized the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as a surrogate for the coronavirus, allowing for safe and controlled testing. By examining the interaction between different amounts of the virus and the clays over varying durations, the team successfully demonstrated the remarkable efficacy of bentonite and kaolin clays in reducing viral contamination.
The Findings
Through comprehensive investigations, the research team uncovered intriguing insights into the behavior of viruses within clays. Notably, bentonite exhibited superior viral decay compared to kaolin clay. The removal efficiency of the NDV was found to depend on the quality of bentonite, along with the multilayer sorption of the virus on clay surfaces. The results proved highly promising, showcasing a staggering 99.6% reduction in viral contamination and impressively low diffusion rates. This experimental evidence firmly established the potential of compacted clays in containing and neutralizing viral waste, setting a new precedent for waste management practices.
Implications Beyond Covid-19
Apart from its significant contributions in dealing with Covid-19 waste, this groundbreaking study also carries far-reaching implications for waste management during disease outbreaks, such as the Newcastle disease in poultry. The proposed handling protocol entails the disposal of waste in biomedical waste facilities featuring compacted powder bentonite or kaolin clays as liners. Alternatively, pathogenic waste can be securely contained within closed containers supplemented with compacted powder bentonite or kaolin clays, ensuring safe disposal within existing municipal solid waste landfills.
