Nagpur University Team Develops Safe Mercury Lamp Disposal Method Researchers at Nagpur University (NU) have developed a groundbreaking method to safely dispose of mercury-containing electric lamps, addressing a significant environmental and health hazard. The initiative, led by Dr. Sanjay Dhoble, a senior professor and head of the Physics department, along with research students Sanket Helode and Abhijit Kadam, focuses on preventing mercury vapour release during the disposal of fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Their work has resulted in two patents, marking a critical step in mitigating mercury pollution in urban areas. Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, is present in fluorescent tubes and CFLs, with typical concentrations ranging from 44mg in larger tubes to about 4mg in CFLs. When these lamps are discarded improperly and break, mercury vapour is released, contaminating soil and water. This poses serious health risks, including kidney damage and an increased likelihood of cancer. India currently lacks a comprehensive system for the safe collection and disposal of such lamps, leaving households and municipalities vulnerable to environmental and health hazards. The research team faced significant challenges in their project, particularly in collecting used lamps from households without causing breakage and transporting them safely to designated disposal sites. To overcome this, they designed a specialized "lamp collection unit" that enables secure door-to-door collection and consolidated storage. This unit ensures that lamps are handled without damage, reducing the risk of mercury leakage during transportation. Once collected, the damaged lamps are processed in a specially designed enclosed system that prevents mercury vapour from mixing with the surrounding air.#nagpur_university #manali_kshirsagar #dr_sanjay_dhoble #sanket_helode #abhijit_kadam
