OAK RIDGE, TN, FEB 4, 2020 -- BioLargo Engineering, Science & Technologies (BLEST), has announced that it has validated the efficacy of a new, cutting-edge water treatment technology aimed at solving the growing international per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination crisis. Having completed its work under a Phase I SBIR grant from the EPA to its parent corporation BioLargo, Inc., it is moving to the next phase of development in preparation for demonstration pilots and commercialization.
The new technology, called the Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC), has been proven capable of 99+% removal of the two most predominant PFAS compounds – PFOA and PFOS – without the need for the high-pressure systems and high electricity costs of reverse osmosis, or the high consumable costs necessary for carbon filters. BLEST reports that based on its bench-scale testing, AEC was projected to use only $0.30 of electricity to treat 1,000 gallons of water, a fraction of the cost of what is necessary to operate the competing technologies. BLEST management believes that they will further reduce electricity costs for treating potable water.
Described as “forever chemicals” by Washington DC based environmental watchdog the Environmental Working Group, PFAS contamination is estimated to affect up to 110 million people in the United States. Numerous experts have linked PFAS to detrimental effects on human health and the environment due to their tendency to accumulate and persist in the environment and human body. On January 7, 2020, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that “aggressively addressing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is an active and ongoing priority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.” The two common and widespread PFAS compounds addressed by the BLEST study – PFOA and PFOS – are found in common household and industrial products. Both compounds have been found in water supplies across the country, and municipalities are struggling to find a feasible and affordable solution to remove PFAS from their drinking water.
Funded in part by an SBIR Phase I grant administered through the EPA, BLEST’s initial work successfully established that the AEC could remove high concentrations PFAS in a continuous flow-through device, producing a “clean” stream and a highly concentrated PFAS stream ready for subsequent treatment by methods like advanced oxidation. The AEC technology has potential to significantly reduce the cost of water treatment in a full-scale application.
The BLEST team has submitted an application for additional funding from the EPA to accelerate its work under a Phase II SBIR grant. In the proposed project, the team will create a pilot unit to field test the technology in commercial and industrial settings at a small commercial scale. They are in the process of identifying a “partner community” that will act as the test site.
Randall Moore, President of BLEST, commented, “We believe we have made a strong case in our application to the EPA for additional financial support under the Phase II SBIR grant program. Our team has decades of experience delivering engineering and science-based solutions. Our goal is to deliver a low-cost, low-energy technology that will reduce the threat PFAS poses to people worldwide.”
BioLargo, Inc. President & CEO Dennis P. Calvert expanded on the commercial implications of the AEC, “We believe a solution to the PFAS crisis is directly in line with our mission, knowledge and experience. We have confidence in Randy, his team, and our group of scientists, and intend to support BLEST 100% as they move towards commercializing the AEC. We plan to get the technology field tested and launched commercially as soon as possible. We have the ability to help communities all over the world who face this PFAS challenge. This is another great example of how BioLargo has grown to become an innovator and full-service solution provider.”
Learn more at www.biolargo.com.
