Combining tech to remove pharmaceutical pollution from waste water

Dutch specialty chemicals company Nouryon has joined forces with water treatment company Van Remmen UV Technology on a novel method to address the growing concern of pharmaceutical micropollutants in waste water.

The pollution caused by some pharmaceuticals (also called micropollutants) is an emerging problem. Pharmaceuticals mainly reach the environment through the discharge of effluent from urban WWTP’s. Pharmaceuticals are often incorrectly disposed by consumers into sinks and toilets.

The European Commission adopted the Water Framework Directive in 2000. The European Union has acknowledged the emerging issues around pharmaceutical-free water and in March 2019 they announced that there will be more focus on a strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment.

The process being pioneered by the two companies combines the Advanox ultraviolet (UV) treatment process from Van Remmen UV Technology and Nouryon’s MicrOx hydrogen peroxide, is expected to remove more than 90% of pharmaceutical residues. It works through the use of an advanced oxidation process. Once treated, the water can be discharged into lakes and rivers as pharmaceutical-free. 

“Growing global pharmaceutical use is creating a significant pollution problem for urban waste water treatment systems,” said Niek Stapel, Managing Director Pulp and Performance Chemicals at Nouryon. “With this advanced water treatment concept, customers in the water treatment market will have access to two proven technologies that together enable measurement, monitoring and means to control micropollutants in waste water streams.”

The process is being tested in a plant that treats the sewage of the city of Växjö, Sweden.

Ton van Remmen, CEO at Van Remmen UV Technology, added: “Each partner is an expert in a different aspect of water treatment – Van Remmen in UV disinfection and advanced oxidation and Nouryon in peroxide application. By combining our respective knowhow, we can offer the improved oxidation solution the world needs to address this growing problem.” 

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