Mexican Corporation Finds Way to Purify Sea & Waste Water

Would you be down to drink purified human wastewater?

Wastewater screening. Image via Flickr user SuSanA Secretariat

A handful of Mexican engineers out of Jhostoblak Corporate have developed a process to recover and purify both seawater and wastewater that takes a mere 2.5 minutes. The company hopes that unclear water, regardless of the content of pollutants and microorganisms, can be taken from households, hotels, hospitals, commercial and industrial facilities and recycled back for safe human consumption.

Their system, dubbed PQUA, dissociates pollutants from water on a molecular level by using specific amounts of different elements. The mixture works to recover the minerals necessary for the human body to function. According to the firm, no gases, odors, or toxic elements that may damage the environment, human health, or quality of life are generated in the process.

Utilizing gravity to save energy, the pilot plant is able to remove organic and inorganic solids as a sludge that settles at the bottom of the reactor. The sludge is removed and examined to determine if it can have any application as fertilizer or manufacture construction materials. The remaining liquid goes on to many more steps of purification, such as removing dissolved elements, turbidity, odors, colors, and flavors. At the end of the line, the finished product is treated with ozone to ensure purity.

The end goal. Image via Wikimedia commons

“We have done over 50 tests on different types of wastewater and all have been certified and authorized by the laboratories of the Mexican Accreditation Agency (EMA). Also, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), the College of Mexico and the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) have given their validation that the water treated with our technology meets the SSA NOM 127 standard, which indicates the parameters and quality characteristics for vital liquid to be used for human consumption,” said Jhostoblak in a statement.

The company reports that the development is protected under trade secret in America. With droughts affecting an increasing number of states, rather than solely California, Jhostoblak’s process may be vital in ensuring a future supply of fresh, clean drinking water.