Descripción del proyecto
Un seguimiento más rápido de la toxicidad de las aguas residuales
Las aguas residuales, como subproducto de las actividades humanas, contienen contaminantes físicos, biológicos y químicos. El tratamiento del agua resulta esencial para eliminar estos contaminantes, y el seguimiento es igual de importante. Los métodos actuales implican la obtención de muestras, su conservación y transporte, y se basan en el muestreo instantáneo (una o dos veces al año). El proyecto ToxMate, financiado con fondos europeos, propone una herramienta para el seguimiento automático, en tiempo real, «in situ» y en línea de la toxicidad de las aguas residuales. Puede proporcionar resultados sobre la toxicidad del agua en sesenta minutos, lo cual permite intervenir rápidamente cuando sea necesario. Esta nueva herramienta se basa en el análisis del comportamiento locomotor de tres especies diferentes de invertebrados acuáticos y utiliza la luz infrarroja, además de cámaras precisas y potentes, para registrar de forma continua la actividad de los animales.
Objetivo
Urban centres, industries and agriculture produce large volumes of wastewater; in addition, the current population growth, accelerated urbanization and economic development are increasing the quantity and pollution of wastewater globally. Being a by-product of human activities, wastewater contains chemical, biological and physical pollutants, so it must be treated to remove all contaminants before it is released in the environment. Releasing untreated or inadequately treated wastewater is dangerous and has harmful effects on human health, the environment, and economic activities. Water quality after wastewater purification varies over time, even and especially during one single day, but managers do not have the necessary tools to monitor these variations. Currently available methods based on bioassays or physical and chemical parameters require sampling, conservation and transport, and are based on spot-sampling (1-2 times/year). These methods are not able to provide information on temporal variability and have low efficiency, durability, and specificity; they are also slow in providing results (at least 72 hours) and can’t allow real time monitoring. To overcome these limitations, ViewPoint has developed ToxMate: a tool for the automated real-time, on-site and on-line monitoring of wastewater toxicity. It is based on the simultaneous analysis of the locomotor behaviour of 3 different species of aquatic invertebrates and it uses infrared light and powerful and precise cameras to record continuously the activity of the animals. The system is composed of 3 panels, each containing 16 animals, so 48 animals can be analysed at the same time and for up to 30 days. ToxMate is fast: it can provide a result on water toxicity in just one hour, so it allows public authorities and water managers to measure the variation in wastewater and identify abnormal episodes, thus allowing quick interventions to optimize water purification and control treatment plants more efficiently.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processesdrinking water treatment processes
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensors
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrology
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationreverse osmosis
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaConvocatoria de subcontratación
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1
Régimen de financiación
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinador
01390 Civrieux
Francia
Organización definida por ella misma como pequeña y mediana empresa (pyme) en el momento de la firma del acuerdo de subvención.