MagBeW - Functionalized Magnetic Beads for Water Treatment

Aim and goal

This project aims at developing a new concept for water treatment using tailor-made magnetic beads to enable a better and selective removal of pollutants and reduced discharge to the environment.

Challenge

The global water situation is alarming and requires novel innovative technologies in order to ensure a proper treatment of process and wastewaters. A growing number of contaminants are entering water supplies from human activity: from traditional compounds such as heavy metals to emerging micropollutants such as pharmaceutical residues and endocrine disruptors. These pollutants may lead to detrimental effects to human health and eco-systems, and the current technologies for treating these in process and wastewaters are inefficient.

Solution

By bringing together complementary expertise in the fields of magnetic bead technology, surface chemistry and water treatment, the project partners have developed and tested new types of functionalized magnetic beads for selective removal of heavy metal ions from water. The target concept has been demonstrated in lab-scale.

Effect

Developing a technology that enables a more efficient removal of contaminants in process and wastewaters will result in improved environmental stewardship, contribute to reach Sweden’s environmental objectives of a non-toxic environment and reduced climate impact, and will offer Sweden a clear leadership in a field that is of global concern.