Universidad Autónoma de Puebla creates composite to remove textile dyes from wastewater

Researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) are developing a new material that combines zinc‑oxide semiconductor particles with natural zeolites. The composite is added to water contaminated with textile dyes and then irradiated with ultraviolet light, activating the semiconductor to break down pollutants such as methylene blue. The project, led by postdoctoral researcher Karim Monserrat Álvarez Gómez in the Department of Zeolites, aims to complement existing treatment plants, which rely on coagulants and flocculants that cannot fully eliminate stubborn dye compounds.

The work also involves engineering students and seeks to scale the technology for industrial wastewater treatment, offering a potential upgrade for the textile sector’s environmental performance.