Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Next Generation of High-Capacity Perchlorate-Selective Resins for Drinking Groundwater Treatment

EPA Contract Number: EPD14006
Title: Next Generation of High-Capacity Perchlorate-Selective Resins for Drinking Groundwater Treatment
Investigators: Chang, Han-Ting
Small Business: AquaNano LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2014 through April 30, 2015
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Drinking Water Treatment and Monitoring , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Description:

AquaNano has developed a new perchlorate-selective resin (PSR) with high exchange capacity that meets the specifications of commercial PSRs in crush strength, particle size distribution and bead integrity. The specific objectives of this Phase I SBIR EPA proposal were to:

Scale up and optimize AquaNano's resin preparation procedures to consistently produce 5–10 Kg batches of a commercial grade PSR with high strong-base capacity (SBC) (~1.5 eq/L).
Verify and validate the performance and viability of the companys new high-capacity PSR through column field tests at a test site in California.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

In the first 3 months of the project, AquaNano developed the synthetic procedures required to consistently produce batches of 5–10 Kg of a commercial grade PSR with high SBC of 1.5 eq/L. In the last 3 months of the project, the company carried out laboratory column field tests at an Aerojet Superfund site to benchmark the perchlorate of capacity of AquaNano's PSR against those of two commercial PSRs (Dow PSR-2 and Purolite). The overall results of the field and laboratory column tests show that AquaNano's PSR (DS-333) has an operational capacity advantage of 1.25–1.30 times over those of commercial PSRs (Purolite A532E and Dow PSR-2) at 50 percent breakthrough. AquaNano also found the base bead that it utilized as a precursor to synthesize the DS-333 PSR has great commercial potential as WBA media for Cr(VI) removal from contaminated groundwater based on the results of a field test at the Glendale Superfund site.

Conclusions:

The overall results of the technical studies on perchlorate-selective material, additional finding on chromium-6 applicability of the base bead, and business development activities suggest that AquaNanos high capacity media have promising commercial potential.

Commercialization: AquaNano has been actively engaging in discussion with the industry major players in the content of its high-capacity media for perchlorate and chromium-6 applications. The commercialization strategy focuses on pursuing licensing to one or more of the major companies in specific deals that limit the field of use, the geography and degree of exclusivity in ways that maximize returns to AquaNano.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Perchlorate, perchlorate-selective resin, PSR, drinking water, groundwater, treatment

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.