Claros Technologies Inc. — Environmental Protection Agency SBIR Phase I: 18-NCER-3A

Description

The specific need for the technology, what the technology would do to meet that need, technical feasibility, application(s), end users, size of the potential market, performance compared to current technologies and potential for environmental benefits.<br/> <br/> Poly- and per- fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a broad category of highly conjugated synthetic organofluorine compounds that have been shown to be highly mobile and bioaccumulative in the environment. There is a growing market need for technologies that overcome the limitations of current commercial methods which suffer from sorbent inefficiencies and issues with disposal due to leaching of PFAS. Claros Technologies Inc. has developed a process for growing nanoparticles within solid supports and has demonstrated the technology for the removal of heavy metals from water. Here we propose utilizing this process for the development and application of a novel nanocomposite material containing catalytically active nanoparticles with the capacity to remove and degrade waterborne PFAS. This degradative sorbent anocomposite has improved sorbent efficiency, which reduces capital costs and filter turnover. Furthermore, the catalytic degradation of PFAS within the support not only minimizes waste products, but also allows for nanocomposite reuse. These degradative sorbent nanocomposites can be applied to industrial wastewater streams, with later application to environmental systems.