Sanatan Prabhat > Post Type > News > National News > Ganga river has 50 times the self-purification capacity compared to other rivers worldwide

Ganga river has 50 times the self-purification capacity compared to other rivers worldwide

  • Padma Shri awardee Dr Ajay Sonkar’s significant discovery about Ganga water

  • Ganga water contains 1,100 types of bacteriophages

(Note: RNA stands for Ribonucleic Acid, and bacteriophages are elements that destroy bacteria in the river.)

Prayagraj – Ganga water contains bacteriophages that attack the RNA of highly harmful bacteria (pathogens) and destroy them rapidly, revealed a study by Padma Shri awardee Dr. Ajay Sonkar. According to his research, the Ganga is the only river in the world that possesses 1,100 types of bacteriophages, with a 50 times higher self-purification capacity compared to other rivers. Dr. Sonkar has conducted pioneering research at prestigious institutions such as Wageningen University (Netherlands), Rice University (Houston, USA), Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Harvard Medical School. Former President and renowned scientist Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam also praised Dr Sonkar’s research.

Key findings from Dr Sonkar’s research:

  1. 1,100 types of bacteriophages that eliminate human-made pollutants are found in Ganga water. These bacteriophages destroy harmful bacteria 50 times larger than themselves and then disappear, earning Ganga the title of a ‘Security Guard’.
  2. Even during the Mahakumbha, when crores of people bathed in the Ganga, the water remained pathogen-free. The bacteriophages in Ganga become active instantly and eliminate pathogens.
  3. Bacteriophages target only harmful bacteria, leaving beneficial bacteria unharmed.
  4. They specifically target certain bacteria, maintaining Ganga’s cleanliness similar to the natural purification process of the sea.
  5. Medical potential: Bacteriophages can be used in the medical field to treat infectious diseases.
  6. The natural purification ability of the Ganga is a reminder for humanity to maintain harmony with nature, or else nature may take harsh actions.

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