Evaluation of SATOORNIK Gen I as an Advanced Post-Treatment for Greywater Microplastic Removal

1. Introduction

With increasing urbanization and the need for sustainable water use, greywater treatment has become critical in residential settings, especially in large-scale apartments. Greywater, which is wastewater from handwashing, bathing, and other domestic activities (excluding toilets), often contains microplastics and other contaminants. These particles are difficult to remove and can cause environmental harm if greywater is reused for irrigation or other non-potable purposes.

In our current project, greywater from an apartment building in Germany was treated using 3-step biocarriers made of polyurethane foam (PUF), followed by a 4-step Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) and final UV treatment. However, despite this comprehensive multi-stage process, significant amounts of micro and nano plastics remained in the recycled water. This study investigates the efficiency of the SATOORNIK Gen I, an advanced post-treatment device specifically designed to address this microplastic contamination.

2. Objective of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of the SATOORNIK Gen I technology in removing microplastics from greywater after conventional treatment. The study also highlights the potential environmental and health risks associated with untreated greywater and how post-treatment technology like SATOORNIK Gen I can help mitigate these issues.

3. Greywater Treatment Process

Greywater from the apartment building was first treated using PUF in combination with a 4-step MBBR and final UV disinfection. While these stages reduced microbial contamination and organic matter, our study showed they are insufficient for eliminating microplastics and nanoparticles from the water and the outlet water still contained high levels of particles, including microplastics and nanoparticles. These contaminants pose risks when greywater is reused for various purposes.

4. Description of SATOORNIK Gen I

The SATOORNIK Gen I device employs a cutting-edge magnetic field separation technology to remove microplastics and other particles from greywater. It achieves high efficiency in particle removal in a single-step separation while handling large volumes of water with minimal energy consumption, and there is still potential for further efficiency improvements. The tests were conducted using a small-scale pilot prototype.

5. Materials and Methods

Two 250-ml graywater samples from the residential recycled graywater runoff were analyzed, which were collected at different periods. These samples were then run through the SATOORNIK Gen I instrument. Microplastics were counted both before (Fig 1. A) and after treatment (Fig 1. B), using two different methods to minimize errors. The results were adopted with an ISO standard method.

6. Results

The SATOORNIK Gen I device demonstrated remarkable efficiency in removing microplastics from greywater:

• First test:

  • Recycled greywater: 1357.62 mg of microplastics.

  • SATOORNIK Gen I: 45.46 mg of microplastics.

  • Efficiency: 96.7%.

• Second test:

  • Recycled greywater: 2.124 mg of microplastics.

  • SATOORNIK Gen I: 0.085 mg of microplastics.

  • Efficiency: 95.97%.

The results show that SATOORNIK Gen I can reduce microplastic contamination by over 96% in a single-step process, making it an effective solution for post-treatment of greywater.

Microscopic images of the recycled water sample. (A) shows various sizes and types of micro- and nano-plastics present in the sample before treatment with SATOORNIK Gen I, while (B) shows the sample after treatment, illustrating the reduction in microplastic particles.

7. Conclusion

The SATOORNIK Gen I has demonstrated excellent efficiency in removing microplastics from greywater, achieving a removal rate of over 96% in both tests. Given its single-step application and high-volume handling capacity, this device offers a promising solution for the post-treatment of greywater in residential and industrial settings. Further optimizations could make it even more effective, enhancing its role in mitigating the environmental and health impacts of microplastic contamination in greywater.

Project manager: Dr.-Ing.M.Nikpay

Project Funder: SATOORNIK

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