Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MAPIC (Microfluidic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Capture (MAPIC) System)
Période du rapport: 2018-08-01 au 2020-07-31
The biggest threat for European waters, and beyond, is the increased presence of micropollutants. These dissolved molecules, some of which are toxic at extremely low level, include pesticides and excess nutrients from agriculture, but also cosmetic and pharmaceutical compounds, as well as industrial chemicals. Traditional wastewater treatment technologies are inefficient at removing these molecules, and as a result, they tend to accumulate in our surface waters. Most problematic, some of them are now encountered in ground water, and potable water. Currently, only Switzerland has deployed technology for micropollution treatment in their water treatment plants, but their high energy use has caused a 30% increase in energy costs. For realistic action on micropollution, a smaller, more economical and more environmentally friendly system is needed.
MAPIC tackles pharmaceutical micropollutant capture (antibiotics, endocrine disruptors,…) from wastewater by developing a small, energy-efficient, high capture efficiency device that couples microfluidic technology with β-Cyclodextrin polymer (β-CDP). β-CDP was recently shown to outperform all other adsorbants in water depollution test. Yet, like all adsorption methods, β-CDP efficiency is dependent on required elapsed time for interaction events to occur in between flowing pollutant and the adsorbant surface. This can be greatly improved by using microfluidics systems which reduce drastically both the diffusion distance and the related time while significantly minimizing the overall footprint. MAPIC highly integrated microfluidic architectures can treat up to 50 m3/day, and unlike conventional methods uses minimal energy (<200Pa). The modular assembly can also offer multiplexed capture approaches through serial configuration.
This project paves the way for sustainable advanced water treatment. Its technology can also be declined to other applications: biosensing, solvent recovery, and others fluid system remediation (Air, Gas, oils, etc,…). During the project, a remediation demonstrator is prepared for domestic and industrial perspectives, with respectively targeted sizes of a Soda-Can and a suitcase. This innovative solution to remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater can help in tackling some of our greatest challenges: water scarcity, energy saving, and antibiotic resistance.
MAPIC tackles pharmaceutical micropollutant capture (antibiotics, endocrine disruptors,…) from wastewater by developing a small, energy-efficient, high capture efficiency device that couples microfluidic technology with β-Cyclodextrin polymer (β-CDP). β-CDP was recently shown to outperform all other adsorbants in water depollution test. Yet, like all adsorption methods, β-CDP efficiency is dependent on required elapsed time for interaction events to occur in between flowing pollutant and the adsorbant surface. This can be greatly improved by using microfluidics systems which reduce drastically both the diffusion distance and the related time while significantly minimizing the overall footprint. MAPIC highly integrated microfluidic architectures can treat up to 50 m3/day, and unlike conventional methods uses minimal energy (<200Pa). The modular assembly can also offer multiplexed capture approaches through serial configuration.
This project paves the way for sustainable advanced water treatment. Its technology can also be declined to other applications: biosensing, solvent recovery, and others fluid system remediation (Air, Gas, oils, etc,…). During the project, a remediation demonstrator is prepared for domestic and industrial perspectives, with respectively targeted sizes of a Soda-Can and a suitcase. This innovative solution to remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater can help in tackling some of our greatest challenges: water scarcity, energy saving, and antibiotic resistance.
MAPIC had identified a design for high-volume, low-pressure microfluidics. During the project, once fabricated, the design proved to have subpar performance in flow rates. A novel design has been identified and is undergoing extensive computational and optimisation studies prior to fabrication.
MAPIC explored integration of capture agents within the microfluidic system. Originally, the study only focused on cyclodextrin, but we added ion-exchange resins, due to their extensive use in water treatment, and for more accurate simulations, since the operational characteristics were more readily available with ion-exchange resins. Our studies showed that the microfluidic system enables high efficiency of the capture agents. The small channels bring micropollutants more readily in contact with the capture agents, and realistic concentration of specific micropollutants were successfully removed within microchannels.
MAPIC identified micropollutants that are most relevant for initial testing of the microfluidic system. The selection criteria included: environmental risks (concentration found in nature, toxicity, biodegradability) and technical feasibility. The original model wastewater includes concentration of 4 micropollutants. More advanced model wastewater includes a cocktail of 16 micropollutants, all relevant to micropollution encountered in European waters.
Finally, MAPIC performed an extensive market analysis on the financial viability of a microfluidic advanced water system. It showed that the demand for such a system is high, and expected to grow steadily over the next few years. This growth could also be boosted by upcoming changes in water regulation in Europe. The advantages of MAPIC (compacity and low-energy) positions it as a leader technology for advanced water treatment.
MAPIC explored integration of capture agents within the microfluidic system. Originally, the study only focused on cyclodextrin, but we added ion-exchange resins, due to their extensive use in water treatment, and for more accurate simulations, since the operational characteristics were more readily available with ion-exchange resins. Our studies showed that the microfluidic system enables high efficiency of the capture agents. The small channels bring micropollutants more readily in contact with the capture agents, and realistic concentration of specific micropollutants were successfully removed within microchannels.
MAPIC identified micropollutants that are most relevant for initial testing of the microfluidic system. The selection criteria included: environmental risks (concentration found in nature, toxicity, biodegradability) and technical feasibility. The original model wastewater includes concentration of 4 micropollutants. More advanced model wastewater includes a cocktail of 16 micropollutants, all relevant to micropollution encountered in European waters.
Finally, MAPIC performed an extensive market analysis on the financial viability of a microfluidic advanced water system. It showed that the demand for such a system is high, and expected to grow steadily over the next few years. This growth could also be boosted by upcoming changes in water regulation in Europe. The advantages of MAPIC (compacity and low-energy) positions it as a leader technology for advanced water treatment.
By combining the capture efficiency of β-CDP with the physical advantages of microfluidic technologies, MAPIC creates a small, low-cost, energy-efficient wastewater treatment device - thanks to microfluidic and related low-cost microfabrication performances for new flow paradigm - opening the possibility of water treatment capabilities to large and small communities at minimal cost. By implementing the treatment agent in a microfluidic system, we ensure larger surface of interaction between the wastewater and the polymer, increased reaction rates and more consistent results. We can assemble several subunits into complex systems for multiplex capture, for a wider range of depollution capabilities. Microfluidics also reduces drastically the size of the equipment needed and since it can be parallel-processed, can achieve very high-throughput levels. Finally, this technology is also more sustainable than current methods, as it uses minimal amount of energy to create flow and no energy to regenerate the adsorbent.