Betel leaf spit stains on the walls of Indian cities will be much easier to clean as a team of 8 girls from Mumbai have invented an eco-friendly gel to remove them in a cost-effective manner. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ (Clean India Mission) four years ago as a corrective measure, the problem of Indians spitting betel leaves on public places has persisted.
The team incorporated microbes and enzymes in the gel that converted the red color of spit into a ‘harmless colorless product’. Cleaning up stains using this gel will also require much less water than otherwise.
They were conferred with gold medals and prizes at the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) 2018 competition held in Boston, USA last week.
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