Page 173 - CW E-Magazine (20-8-2024)

Special Report

CSIR-CSMCRI looks to tap the potential of marine

waters for minerals and speciality chemicals

SIR-Central Salt & Marine tium and rubidium, are present in sea-
Chemicals Research Institute water, albeit at varying concentrations.
C(CSIR-CSMCRI), Bhavnagar, “This is a naturally available resource,
Gujarat, organized a one-day ‘Work- without geopolitical tensions, unlike
shop on Marine Chemicals 2024’ on most other geological resources,” he
July 18, 2024, as part of the ‘One Week noted.
One Theme’ (OWOT) initiative of
CSIR to showcase the achievements/ For example, in certain waters high
competencies of CSIR labs. levels (up to 170-ppm) of strontium
have been identifi ed and offer potential
The workshop was attended by dele- for recovery. The laboratory has been
gates from industry and academia, and working on development of resins and
highlighted the latest developments precipitative technologies for its reco-
in the fi eld of marine-based inorganic Dr. Kannan Srinivasan very and is hopeful of coming up with
and organic chemicals, including the mers and chemicals; and built strong viable technologies.
research carried out at CSIR-CSMRI. capabilities in membrane-technologies
for brackish water treatment, as well as ‘Close interactions with industry
Signifi cant strides in seawater desalination. benefi cial’
Speaking at the inaugural session Dr. K.J. Sreeram, Director, CSIR-
of the event, Dr. Kannan Srinivasan, “Chemosynthetic and enzymatic tools Central Leather Research Institute
Director, CSIR-CSMCRI, observed are being used to develop the domain of (CLRI), urged a research focus on
that marine chemicals are fundamental organic marine chemicals, and we have developing benchmarked technologies
chemicals on which the development built strong Intellectual Property (IP) that can be commercially successful.
of a sizeable portion of the chemical positions in these areas,” he added. “Technology translation can be effec-
industry depends. CSIR-CSMCRI, he tive if there are close interactions with
noted, has made signifi cant strides in the Dwelling on the untapped potential industry,” he noted. As an example of
development of technologies for several of marine waters as a source of chemi- collaborative work, he cited the re-
inorganic chemicals derived from sea- cals, he observed that as many as 70 ele- search at CSIR-CSMCRI, which is
water, notably salt and bromine; entered ments of the Periodic Table, including aiding the leather industry manage the
into the domain of marine natural poly- trace elements such as uranium, stron- high levels of salt in is effl uents.
Salt and marine chemicals research

Nearly 80% of salt produced in the leading State in salt manufacture, need to be provided to each to address
India is from seawater, with subsoil accounting for nearly 70% of India’s unique problems and challenges.
brine and lake brines accounting for total salt output.
9% and 8% respectively. The quan- Meeting the salt requirements of the
tum of salt produced has risen from According to Dr. Arvind Kumar, India chlor-alkali industry
a piffl ing 2-mt at the time of India’s Chief Scientist & Divisional Chair, Salt is the principal raw material
Independence, to 33-mt in the last Salt and Marine Chemicals Division, for making soda ash and caustic soda,
year, to meet the demand for personal CSIR-CSMCRI, salt production in and membrane cell plants for making
consumption as well as industrial use India takes place at very different the latterdemand a high quality of salt –
(mainly by the chlor-alkali industry scales – from corporates harvesting low in calcium (Ca) and magnesium
for producing caustic soda and soda salt in large farms (>40,000-acres), to (Mg). Annual demand for salt for mak-
ash), leaving a surplus that is exported the family-owned holdings (<10-acres) ing alkali products is presently about
to more than 50 countries. Gujarat is – and appropriate technological inputs 13-mt.

Chemical Weekly August 20, 2024 173

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