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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CGM (A next generation nano media tailored to capture and recycle hazardous micropollutants in contaminated industrial wastewater.)

Teaser

Our freshwater reserves are increasingly polluted due to the accumulation of certain hazardous chemicals that remain in wastewater after current treatment methods. This leads to increasing water stress, which will affect 47% of the world’s population by 2030. We aim to...

Summary

Our freshwater reserves are increasingly polluted due to the accumulation of certain hazardous chemicals that remain in wastewater after current treatment methods. This leads to increasing water stress, which will affect 47% of the world’s population by 2030. We aim to address this issue with a low-cost, low-energy solution using biological materials. CustoMem has developed a granular media (CGM) to specifically bind the target hazardous micropollutants in water such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals and high-performance chemicals. The key objectives of the project are to optimise the production process and application of CGM and validate its suitability for key target markets.

Work performed

During the first reporting period, CustoMem has managed to complete the Standard Operating Procedure for CGM Production and carried out a number of trials, verifying the superior performance versus competing solutions for wastewater treatment. In additional to product development, the company continues to communicate its results through various channels. The company attended a number of expos, conferences and other events to present CGM (e.g. World Water Expo, York Biobusiness Summer School, BIA Parliament Day, and Annual Meeting of the New Champions). CustoMem was also featured in the Winter 2018/2019 issue of Imperial Magazine.

Final results

CGM is superior to other solutions (such as advanced oxidation processes, adosrption resins, UV treatment, carbon nanotubes) in a number of key parameters. CGM can rapidly capture micropollutants (>90% in ~10 seconds) reducing concentrations to parts per trillion (ppt) levels. It operates like an industrial-scale Brita-type water filter, as drop-in to existing steel tank infrastructure and requiring a smaller footprint than Granular Activated Carbon infrastructure. CGM production and treatment operation are low energy (<0.5 kWh/kg media and < 0.01 kWh/M3 of treated water). CGM tackles the problem of unsustainable water supply through targeted capture of micropollutants from industrial wastewater that are challenging and energy intensive to remove with available technologies. Improving the sustainability of water supply will have a significant societal impact and also presents a large economic opportunity for CustoMem.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.customem.com.