NSI develops biodetergent with bagasse

KANPUR: The National Sugar Institute (NSI) has developed innovative technique to develop bio-detergent from baggase, which was hitherto used for generating power at sugar factories.

Assistant professor at NSI, Dr Vishnu Prabhakar Srivastav and research scholar Anushka Agarwal together have developed the technique after sevenmonth long laboratory tests and researches at the Institute. Baggase is the dry pulpy residue left after extraction of juice from sugarcane.

Director of NSI, Dr Narendra Mohan said detergent made through this technology cleaned clothes more effectively without causing any damage to texture or colour and also required less water for washing.

Since no chemical solutions were used in preparing the detergent it will be safe for user’s skin besides being eco-friendly as it did not discharge any harmful waste, he said.

One kilogramme of bagasse detergent could be produced from raw material worth Rs 20 only. “Many detergent manufacturing companies have approached us for collaboration. But we would collaborate only after getting the technique patented. We will apply for patent rights next week,” said Dr Narendra.

For his research, Dr Vishnu Prabhakar Srivastava would be given “Bharatiya Sugar Outstanding Research and development Performance Award, and the director of the NSI would be conferred with the “Bhartiya Sugar Overall Outstanding Performance Award Institutional Head at the National Convention of the Sugar industries in Kolhapur on July 28.