About

Potable water sometimes contains elements like Arsenic, Heavy metals etc that make it non drinkable even though other parameters are good. In such cases we must either check for an alternative source (expensive and not always possible) or treat the water. Filtration is the simplest and easiest method, provided that suitable filters exist. INFIMET produces innovative filter media that can be used in such filters to remove Arsenic (both its forms) and other heavy metals. Burning fossil to produce energy (coal, oil or gas) also produces besides carbon dioxide poisonous mercury. INFIMET works on technology to remove mercury (and other heavy metals) from gas effluents by using innovative filter media in fluid beds. Alternatively in the case of natural gas removal of mercury can be applied in the source. Phosphorous contamination in municipal waste results eutrophication. On the other hand phosphate deposits become more and more scare. Removal of phosphorous from effluents and reuse it attracts interest. INFIMET's filter media can be used in such an effort.

Solution & Product

We have developed a modified nano structured iron oxide with high affinity to Arsenic, Mercury, or other heavy metals. Our patented technology provides a mean to control the charge density (positive or negative) on the surface of the modified iron oxide. In this way we have produced several modified products that can be used for removal of Arsennic, Mercury and other heavy metals from water and/or gas. The first product is AquAszero and AquAszero +. Both can remove arsenic from potable water more efficiently that their competitors, the second is the only one that can remove AsIII, equaly wel as As V. Mecap is a second product developed to remove mercury from gas effluent. Modifications of the latter also remove mercury, vanadium, cadmium, lead and other heavy metals from water. In separate development our product was used in a pilot plant to remove and reuse phosphates from municipal wastes.

Innovation & Scalability

Our Innovation is our ability to produce modified nano structured iron oxides, with high surface area and various charges on the surface, make them suitable for use in filter media. Our first products are AquAszero and AquAszero +, that are used for removal of Arsenic from potable water. Both are more efficient and more competitive than other iron oxide filter media used in As removal. AquAszero + however is the only one that removes both types of As (valence 3 and 5) equally well from water. That makes it the only choice in remote and small treatment plants. In bigger municipality plants it is possible to treat water with chemicals transforming As III to As V and then filter it. In remote areas and small plants where you need minimal supervision this is impossible and AquAszero+ is the only choice. We have produced and sold more than 100 tn of this product in a small pilot plant. Mercap is a second product that has been tested in lab scale for removing mercury from gas effluent. Variations of it were used to remove heavy metals from water.

Traction & achievements

Both our products are patented in Greece, Europe, United States, Russia, Australia, Israel and India. Our proposal to create a pilot plant has received a Seal of Excellence. We have created a small pilot plant produced and sold around 100 MT of AquAszero. Therefore, we have tested it in real market conditions. We have completed the laboratory development of Mercap and its variations that removes mercury and heavy metals from gas and water, applied and granted patents for that.

Team & Why Us

We are a team of engineers, scientists and economists that have developed a unique product that has attracted interest worldwide. The small pilot plant that we have used was inadequately funded. Nevertheless, enough material was produced and tested in real conditions, repeated orders were received from customers. Our pilot plant also shows to us the problems that can be solved. The process to produce AquAszero consists of three parts: liquid chemistry, precipitation and thickening, filtration, forming and drying. The third part of the process was problematic. It is required to change the filtering and drying process. This will increase the quality and the yield of our method. At the same time the capacity of the pilot plant must be increased to be able to supply material both to local customers (existed and new), and trial sales abroad to interested international customers. They have tried our product in the laboratory and required trial orders which we are unable to satisfy. At the same time the development of Mercap will continue and trial production in the pilot plant will be done to test the product in real conditions.

Funding Needs

To improve the pilot plant and increase its output an investment of 600 k €. To receive FDA approval and REACH additional 350 k €. For dissimination and traveling 150 k €. For salaries 100 k €.