Ahalya Saraswathi Bhat J, a class nine student of Vittal Jaycees English Medium School, has developed a working model for preparing medicinal charcoals used in Ayurveda by slow pyrolysis using Masi Maker technology.

Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, she said medicinal charcoals known as Masi Kalpana in Ayurveda, is prepared by partial burning of medicinal herbs and has greater use in preparing medicinal oils, ointments and pastes. They exhibit wound-healing, anti-poison properties apart from working as adsorbents in clinical terms.

Ahalya developed a new working model named as “Masi Maker” using the principle of slow pyrolysis using stainless steel. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible. The working model “Masi Maker” consists of three chambers – the heating chamber for creating heat, charring chamber for charring medicinal herbs and the bio-oil outlet, to express any bio-oils produced.

Ahalya’s project that was demonstrated at the regional fair at Belagavi, secured the gold medal. The event was organised by the Science Society of India. At the national-level fair held at Chennai on January 10, 2015, the project secured the silver medal. Five students from the State have been selected to attend the International Environment & Sustainability Project Olympiad (INESPO) in the Netherlands from May 31 to June 4. Ahalya is the daughter of Dr Ganapathi Bhat Jeddu and Dr Manorama B Bhat who are both Ayurveda practitioners.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> State / by Deepthi Sanjiv, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / February 08th, 2015