A research team at IIT Guwahati has developed a groundbreaking method for detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 using clay and salt water.
This technique eliminates the need for expensive lab equipment and instead relies on sedimentation—the process of watching how clay particles settle in a liquid.
Led by Professor TV Bharat from the Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Sachin Kumar from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, the study explores the properties of Bentonite clay. Known for its ability to bind pollutants, the clay can also attach to viruses in a controlled environment. The researchers tested their method using a virus similar to COVID-19 and found that it yielded results comparable to RT-PCR tests.
This innovation could pave the way for affordable virus detection, especially in remote and resource-limited areas. The team aims to collaborate with medical labs and industry partners to refine the process and develop a field-ready testing kit.
