Chennai, July 29: The Cooum river, a blot on the face of Chennai, could be cleaned and made beautiful, claims a Chennai scientist. Prof Sundara Ramaprabhu of IIT-Madras has developed a low cost nano material that can be installed in the sewage outlets discharging the city’s effluents into the river.

The nano material will filter the effluent and ensure that the sewage let into the river is clean.

Prof Ramaprabhu has already tested his nano filter and hopes to get the nod from the state government to mass-produce and use it in a big way to clean up the three waterways that pass through Chennai and pollute the city by taking in the filthy sewage of the seven million residents.

The professor has applied for patent for his filter which will revolutionise urban sewer treatment and ensure cleaner environment.

“We can remove all toxic and non-toxic materials from the Cooum or any other water source by this nano filter,” Prof Ramaprabhu, head, Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory, told Deccan Chronicle.

He said the filter material was fully indigenous.

What is unique about Prof Ramaprabhu’s technology is its simplicity. “The nano material will adsorb all toxic and harmful elements from the effluent waters. It could be purified by simple fluid wash and reused several times,” he said. He added that the technology does not require costly plants or equipment.

The exit points of all inlets that bring effluent water will be covered with the nano filter.

“This will ensure the purification of the contaminated water. The same water could be used for industrial purposes,” said Prof Ramaprabhu.

He said senior Tamil Nadu government officials who were shown the laboratory-scale demonstration had expressed satisfaction over the new technology.