BIOCLENS™

Encapsulated Bacteria Lenses

Our BIOCLENS™ technology uses bacteria encapsulated in lenses as a biocatalyst to enhance and accelerate natural biological processes to treat water with very high concentrations of ammonia or nitrate and protect from harsh water conditions.

ACHIEVE LOW AMMONIA & NITRATE LEVELS

LOW ENERGY DEMAND

HIGH ACTIVITY IN HARSH CONDITIONS

LOW LIFE-CYCLE COSTS

Summary

Our BIOCLENS™ technology uses bacteria encapsulated in lenses as a biocatalyst to enhance and accelerate natural biological processes which break down organic matter.

The lenses contain living bacteria which is immobilised in a stable, porous PVA gel matrix. As these are stirred in a reactor, water and dissolved impurities diffuse through the lenses and come in contact with the bacteria, causing targeted reactions to occur.

Targeted Reactions

Ammonia Removal

Ammonium (NH₄⁺) in the wastewater permeates into the lens to allow the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), embedded inside lens, convert the ammonium (NH₄⁺) to nitrite (NO₂^–).

NH₄⁺ + 1.5 O₂ → NO₂^–+ 2H⁺ + H₂O

Then the nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), also embedded in the lens, then convert nitrite (NO₂^–) to nitrate (NO₃^–).

NO₂^–+ 0.5 O₂ → NO₃^–

Nitrate Removal

Nitrate (NO₃^–) in the water permeates into the lens

Nitrate reducing bacteria embedded inside the lens convert the nitrate (NO₃^–) to nitrite (NO₂^–)

Nitrite (NO₂^–) is then converted to nitrogen gas (N₂)

Both reactions require a carbon source as an electron donor

2NO₃^–+ 10e^– +12H⁺ → N₂ + 6H₂O

Applications

BIOCLENS™ has a smaller site footprint than other biological treatment methods. The ability to consistently reach extremely low <1ppm ammonia and nitrate levels and with high surface area to volume ratio for higher diffusion rates than other bacteria encapsulation methods. BIOCLENS™ technology has many applications.