new delhi with uranium contamination of groundwater a big problem in punjab bhabha atomic research centre barc has developed a unique water filtration technology that can remove heavy metals from drinking waterbarc has developed a nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane water filtration technology which is capable of removing heavy metals like uranium lead cadmium and mercury as well as salinity from drinking water the technology has been tested in six districts of punjab the field trials have been successful as we could remove the uranium contamination from the groundwater a barc scientistwho is part of department of atomic energy daes twoday exhibition in delhi told toithe scientist who doesnt want to be named says the nanofiltration membrane technology is according to bis and who guidelines and is patented by barc it is best suited for states like punjab where the amount of heavy metals is high in groundwater the nanofiltration device requires less energy power than ro reverse osmosis but gives more throughput than ro as an mou with the punjab government for transfer of this filtration technology did not materialise for unknown reasons the technology is now being provided to a few private companies for massproduction of filtration devices he saidexplaining the three types of filtration devices he said there is ultrafiltration which can filter up to 1020 nanometre size material this one is good for suspended solids and bacteria then there is ro which can filter out content less than 1 nanometre and is good for removing all dissolved solids nanofiltration comes between ultrafiltration and ro it can filter up to 1 to 3 nanometers of material and is good for removing only heavy metalsdaes brit helps food industry with radiation processdaes another unit board of radiation and isotope technology brit is helping food industry in food preservation it lends a helping hand to food companies willing to set up radiation processing factories which can churn out irradiated quarantined food products that can be stored for longer period and are mandatory for exports to western countries brit not only helps in setting up a radiation processing plant with the approval of atomic energy regulatory board but also supplies cobalt60 which is the main radiation source needed for running the plant another barc scientist at the exhibition told toi such irradiated food items are safe for consumption he saidradiation processing helps preserve food products by quarantine treatment curbing microbial contamination or parasites checking tuber or bulb sprouting and enhancing shelflife of food items in nonfrozen state a packet of rice irradiated by barc on display at a twoday dae exhibition in new delhi krushak utpadan sanrakshan kendra krushak radiation facility at lasalgaon near nashik in maharashtra was set up in october 2002 and inaugurated by then pm atal bihari vajpayee as a technology demonstration facility for lowdose applications of radiation it has become the first cobalt60 gamma irradiation facility in the world outside the us to be certified by usdaaphis us animal and plant inspection authority for phytosanitary treatment of mangoesnowadays