Microvi Biotechnologies, in partnering with Aquatech International, has been awarded a contract for a demonstration system for degradation of perchlorate at Aerojet General Corporation’s site near Rancho Cordova, California.
The demonstration system, which was installed in April 2013, is designed to treat 175,000 gallons of groundwater per day containing perchlorate, a component of solid rocket fuel, using Microvi’s MB-P Technology. Aerojet is currently using a biological Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) to degrade perchlorate and monitors the site to ensure compliance with discharge standards. Microvi’s MB-P technology, based on the company’s MicroNiche Engineering Technology Platform, is a solution that can naturally degrade perchlorate more effectively and efficiently compared to any available technology while also significantly reducing waste and energy costs.
“As part of Aerojet’s ongoing efforts to identify more efficient processes to reduce cleanup times and create a more sustainable operation, Aerojet is excited for the opportunity to test Microvi’s MB-P technology. If the demonstration proves successful, we believe that the technology has the potential to reduce energy consumption and waste disposal, and could ease operation of our treatment facility,” said Peter Kvam at Aerojet.
The MB-P technology consists of a single pass, single step process that minimizes the production of a secondary waste stream, as is common with ion exchange resin or other biological processes. The technology degrades perchlorate in the feed water into harmless oxygen and chloride ions with no buildup of intermediates.