Graphene-based adsorptive filter for terra aqua systems (GRAFTA) - an innovative solution for contaminant removal

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Contaminants, many of them being toxic to ecosystems and human health are introduced to soil and aquatic systems and enter the food chain through a variety of sources of mostly industrial nature. A number of conventional physical and chemical processes have been practiced and applied to remove contaminants from various types of wastewaters and in general contaminated water including but not limited to reverse osmosis, adsorption and chemical precipitation. However, in most cases, conventional methods for heavy metal removal are prone to be costly and generate by products in form of sludge, concentrated effluents and/or hazardous solid waste. These issues can also add to the capital and operational costs of the treatment system as well as associated environmental burdens. Taking advantage of recent developments in nanotechnology and its implications in environmental engineering, Graphene based Adsorptive Filter for Terra Aqua solutions (GRAFTA); an innovative nanotechnology-based adsorptive filter, provides a novel technology for removal of heavy metals and other contaminants from wastewaters and contaminated surface water and groundwater. GRAFTA is proposed to be manufactured using crushed recycled glass available from municipal solid waste stream to be coated by graphene nano-sheets following simplified thermal process. GRAFTA can be configured to be used in both in-situ and onsite treatment systems. The technology invented here will primarily impact environmental remediation and water and wastewater treatment practices in Canada and around the world by providing a novel contaminant filtering technology for safer and more effective environmental remediation and protection.