SBIR-STTR Award

Nutrient pollution caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the water is a costly and challenging environmental problem with widespread potential for negative health and ecological effects. The proposed solution to this problem is the capture of ammonium, urea, nitrate and phosphate on low-cost biodegradable sorbent pellets that upon saturation, with the nutrients can be employed directly as slowrelease fertilizer that adds both minerals and key nutrients to the soil. The proposed technology will prevent utrophication of natural waters and lower dependence on manufactured fertilizer through recycling. The replacement of high-energy oxidation rocesses with a low-energy and cost sorption process can lead to economic and environmental benefits. It will also have similar energy and economic and energy advantages over other wastewater to fertilizer technologies such as struvite precipitation or production of heat-dried microbial matter. XploSafe estimates the United States market potential at 491 tons per year and growing at rate of 7% over the next 5 years. At an average retail price of $10.25/ kg the United States annual market potential is estimated at $50.3 million. Wastewater treatment plants will also be able to generate added revenue streams from the sale/use of the spent sorbent as a slow release fertilizer.

Nutrient pollution caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the water is a costly and challenging environmental problem with widespread negative health and ecological effects. During Phase I XploSafe successfully confirmed the technical feasibility of using its proprietary low-cost biodegradable sorbents to passively adsorb target nutrient ions (ammonium, nitrate, urea, and phosphate) from primary and secondary wastewater. The treated sorbents were ubsequently applied as a slow-release fertilizer to effectively grow rhizomes thus demonstrating the recovery and reuse of essential plant nutrients. Phase II efforts will be focused on technology scale up and operational demonstration of the technology with a municipal wastewater treatment facility. Wastewater treatment plants (14,780 in the U.S.), animal farming operations (257,201) and organic farms (18,153) represent some customers and users of the developed technology. The technology will prevent eutrophication of natural waters and lower dependence on manufactured fertilizer through recycling. It also has a sustainable cost and utility advantage over industry standard biological and chemical treatment solutions that cannot offer nutrient reuse. In addition to helping wastewater treatment plants reach compliance, the technology also represents a strong value proposition for wastewater plant operators by generation of revenue from the sale of nutrient rich fertilizer.