2 days ago
‘Wonder worms' clean up water samples from dirtiest lakes in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: A microscopic worm has done what chemicals and machines couldn't — clean up water samples from Ahmedabad's most polluted lakes in just a week. Researchers at Gujarat University's department of environmental science deployed Acrobeloides maximus, a soil-dwelling, bacteria-feeding nematode (a microscopic roundworm), to restore the health of three severely contaminated lakes — Kankaria, Malav Talav, and Virat Sarovar — plagued for years by sewage, industrial waste and rampant algal blooms.
Before treatment, the lakes were choking with pollutants. Virat Sarovar, in particular, recorded a water quality index (WQI) of over 500 — rendering it "unfit for drinking".
Enter Acrobeloides maximus, immobilized in biodegradable alginate beads, and deployed to feed on harmful bacteria and organic waste. Seven days later, the results were surprising. Turbidity levels plummeted, dissolved oxygen levels surged and most notably, WQI scores improved so significantly that Virat Sarovar leapt from "dangerous" to "good" water quality.
The WQI of samples from Malav Talav dropped from 94.02 (good) to 36.30 (excellent), Kankaria Lake's WQI improved from 199.19 (poor) to 51.46 (good), and Virat Sarovar's from 504.42 (not suitable for drinking) to 72.85 (good).
Nematodes like Acrobeloides maximus live in dry, sandy soil and eat bacteria. This helps break down different microbes and protects against harmful ones. In this study, scientists grew the Acrobeloides maximus population in a special nutrient mix.
To keep them from spreading in water, they trapped the nematodes in biodegradable sodium alginate beads.
"Nematodes react to pollutants. Research has shown that Acrobeloides maximus can break down more than 99% of pesticides in wastewater. They also improve water aeration," states the preprint research paper by Mercy Anne Chiphaso, Sunita Chauhan and Hiteshkumar Solanki. This kept them stable, active and alive longer, while making them more effective at cleaning organic waste. The technique worked well, with over 90% of the nematodes staying alive inside the beads, showing promise for improving wastewater treatment naturally and safely.
The paper was published in Elsevier's SSRN journal.
