India: The Central Salt Marine and Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) has standardised and internationally patented a novel process of converting discharge emanating from soda ash and salt-making units into value-added products, including the extraction of far more gypsum than previously possible.
"A novel cost-effective process that helps derive three times more gypsum from the distellar waste, emanating from soda ash and salt-making units, using the Solvay Process for production, has been standardised and granted a US patent," said Dr Pushpito Ghosh, director of CSMCRI, which is based at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
The new process has numerous process and environmental benefits for the processing of certain wastes, including the diversion of aqueous wastes from being dumped in the sea. It could also provide a new source of synthetic gypsum.
