A 30-hour certificate course on water quality analysis was organised for BSc. Biotechnology students by the department of biotechnology in collaboration with Xcellogen Biotech. The course began on March 20, 2023, and it ended on March 24, 2023. Ms. Remisha Ramesh, Assistant Professor, was the course coordinator. 

Water quality testing is important because it identifies contaminants and water-borne diseases.The safety of all type of water used for humans and animals should be evaluated. Contaminated water can cause serious diseases or even death when consumed or used. Because of this, it’s crucial to make sure that drinking water is safe, clean, and free of pathogens. Arsenic, coliform bacteria, E. coli, copper, fluoride, lead, manganese, nitrate, heavy metals, and pesticides are among the common contaminants found in water. The certificate program was designed to educate students how to analyse the pollutants present in water on both a qualitative and quantitative level. The objective of this course was to teach students how to analyse water quality measures and thus monitoring water quality.

The training picked up steam at 10:00 am on March 20, 2023. A life science company based in Thiruvananthapuram, Xcellogen Biotech pvt ltd., organised the course.  The students in the workshop acquired essential technical support from them.

They provided students with thorough instructions regarding the use of the chemical parameters – total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, chloride, nitrate, iron, and sulphate, as well as the physical parameters – colour, odour, pH, and electrical conductance and the biological parameters – MPN, which are used to evaluate the water quality. The workshop was conducted at the biotechnology and biochemistry laboratories of the department.

The workshop concluded with an official validatory ceremony on 24 th March 2023. Ms Rahimol Ramesh expressed her gratitude towards the Excellogen team members. The Excellogen Managing Director, Mr. Anooj E S signed the Memoradum of understanding with the department of biotechnology.

After completing the course, students are able to: Describe the general characteristics of water; comprehend water resources; and explain water conservation. They acquire an understanding of the standards and criteria for water quality and how they relate to the environment and public health and also recognize critical indicators for assessing the quality of the water, learn how to determine the criteria affecting water quality and learn how to conduct precise water quality testing and also how to link the various factors together.