Indian-origin researchers at Australian university turn eucalyptus bark waste into pollution-trapping carbon

Image: Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM (right) with colleagues Dr Deshetti Jampaiah (left) and PhD researcher Pallavi Saini (centre) in an RMIT University laboratory (Photo Credit: Will Wright / Source: RMIT University)

Researchers of Indian-origin at RMIT University have developed a new method to convert eucalyptus bark waste into a highly porous carbon material capable of trapping pollutants from air and water, offering a promising approach to environmental cleanup and circular-economy innovation.

The study, led by PhD researcher Pallavi Saini alongside senior researchers Dr Deshetti Jampaiah and Distinguished Prof. Suresh Bhargava, demonstrates how forestry by-products—often treated as low-value waste—can be transformed into functional materials using a relatively simple activation process.

Image: PhD researcher Pallavi Saini holds a sample of eucalyptus bark during laboratory analysis at RMIT University (Photo Credit: Will Wright / Source: RMIT University)

Saini said the results were unexpected, noting the strong performance of eucalyptus bark in adsorption applications.

“It is usually treated as low-value waste, but with a simple process we were able to convert it into a highly porous material with strong adsorption performance,” she said.

“It highlights how overlooked biomass can be transformed into something useful.”

Porous carbon materials are already widely used in filtration and purification systems because their microscopic pore structures can trap unwanted molecules as air or water passes through. The RMIT team’s approach simplifies production by using a one-step process, compared with more complex multi-stage methods commonly used in industry.

Dr Jampaiah said eucalyptus bark was particularly suitable in the Australian context due to its availability and sustainability.

“We are converting a widely available waste material into a functional carbon with promising performance, without relying on complex processing steps,” he said.

“This makes it highly relevant for real-world environmental applications.”

Australia has more than 900 species of eucalypts, and the researchers noted future work could involve collaboration with Indigenous knowledge holders to identify species best suited for advanced material applications, particularly in environmental technologies.

Image: Dr Deshetti Jampaiah, PhD researcher Pallavi Saini and Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM examine a eucalyptus bark sample during laboratory testing at RMIT University (Photo Credit: Will Wright / Source: RMIT University)

Prof. Bhargava said the work demonstrates the potential of waste materials in addressing major environmental challenges such as pollution and carbon emissions.

“This work shows how eucalyptus bark can be transformed into materials that support cleaner water, cleaner air and carbon capture.”

The research, published in Biomass and Bioenergy, highlights potential applications including water purification, air filtration, industrial gas treatment, and carbon dioxide capture, though further work is needed to test durability and scale-up for real-world deployment.

The findings add to growing global research into biomass-derived carbon materials, particularly in countries like Australia where forestry waste is abundant and underutilised.

Support our Journalism

No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.