By NAK,
Srinagar : True but hard to believe that Polythene is a degradable substance if a particular chemical extracted from an herb is applied on it before burning it.
This was scientifically proved by Nasira Akhter , 35 ,a 12th class pass out housewife an innovator from Kanipora, Kulgam south Kashmir, who demonstrated a new method for degradation of polythene, at University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC) meeting hall today.
The demonstration was attended by several scientists & academicians of the University of Kashmir including Prof. Khursheed Andrabi, HOD Bio-Technology and Dr. Azal Zargar, Department of Bio-Chemistry and Director USIC, Prof Ghulam Mohiudin Bhat.
In presence of many members of the KU community, Nasira applied some herb (in liquid form) to the polythene and after burning the treated polythene, it changed into visibly degradable ash, similar to that generated after burning a normal paper.
The same polythene when burnt untreated had entirely different properties. The experts present at the occasion appreciated the efforts of Nasira Akhter towards mitigating one of the environmental hazards and encouraged her to continue the inventive research in this regard.
We will ascertain the authenticity of the claim and the sample of the ash collected after burning the treated polythene will be analyzed in the laboratory in the University for its Chemical Analysis in order to investigate the truth behind this claim of the innovator” an University official told News Agency of Kashmir adding that the innovation if found true the proposed technique will finally be approved for the commercial viability. (NAK)