Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Current mining wastewater treatment methods are often inefficient, costly, and environmentally harmful. Traditional solutions like chemical precipitation and membrane filtration are energy-intensive and can produce toxic sludge. Valuable metals, such as cobalt, are frequently lost in wastewater streams, posing both an environmental hazard and an economic loss.
Solution
Aquasaic offers a sustainable mining wastewater treatment solution using engineered yeast. The company leverages synthetic biology to create yeast strains that selectively bind and remove target metals from wastewater. Their technology employs a continuous flow bioreactor system that achieves steady-state metal removal within 2-4 hours. This innovative approach enables efficient recovery of valuable metals, such as cobalt, even in complex wastewater streams, while minimizing environmental impact. The system eliminates the need for harsh chemicals and enables water reuse, offering a faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods. Pilot studies have demonstrated high metal recovery rates.
Target Audience
Aquasaic's primary customers are mining companies and other industrial operations that generate metal-contaminated wastewater.
Features
- Engineered yeast strains that produce specific metal-binding proteins on their cell surface
- Continuous flow bioreactor system for rapid metal removal
- High selectivity for target metals, enabling efficient recovery from complex wastewater streams
- Metal recovery rates of up to 96.4% in pilot studies
- Reduced energy consumption compared to traditional methods
- Elimination of toxic chemicals and sludge production
- Potential for water reuse, minimizing environmental impact