Project title: “CD FILTER” Preparation of nanoporous filter systems to bind xenobiotics and their application for reuse of purified waste water
Funding Programme: National Technology Programme, A4 Liveable, Sustainable Environment
Project Identification Number: TECH_08-A4/2-2008-0161
Project duration: 01. 01. 2009 – 31. 01. 2012
Project type: Consortial
Project partners:
CycloLab Cyclodextrin R&D Laboratory Ltd (CYCLOLAB) (Consortium Leader)
Bay Zoltán Foundation for Applied Research, Institute for Materials Science and Technology, Department of Polymer Composites (BAYATI)
Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Group of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology (BME)
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Sciences, Cooperative Research, Centre for Environmental Sciences (ELTE CRCES)
ORGANICA Environmental Ltd. (Organica)
Summary: Scientific literature uses the term “emerging pollutant” for recently recognized hazardous pollutants. These materials are not listed among official registries about pollutants, legal regulation does not deal with them, although they represent a very high risk factor, because they usually are not degraded in natural environment, they accumulate in living organisms (POP, Persistent Organic Pollutants or PBT Persistent Bio-accumulative Pollutants). Most of these chemicals belong to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (PPCP, Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products): human- or animal medicine, perfumes, cosmetics, sun protection, nutritional supplements (for example vitamins) and pesticides that appear in surface water. These micro-pollutants usually get into the environment in diffuse form, in the air (for example PAH compounds, dioxins), materials used in agriculture (pesticides) into the ground and ground water. A vast amount gets directly into the ground and surface water (for example pharmaceutical residue) from wastewater pipes and from wastewater treatment plants. As these materials appear in our drinking water as well, they are threatening the ecosystem and humans.
The objective of the project was to develop new, cyclodextrin-containing filters for three different applications:
- Development of cyclodextrin containing sampling filter units for the monitoring of bioactive micro-pollutants.
- Filters applicable for the post-purification of drinking water in households.
- Development of an innovative, filter unit containing wastewater treatment process, by which xenobiotics and residual pharmaceuticals, other POP compounds, and also numerous organic micropollutants can be removed from the pre-purified wastewater.
