Virotec Global Solutions is pleased to announce that it has just completed the initial test work of its ViroFlow™ Technology to treat phosphorus-contaminated lake water in the United States. The work, carried out by Virotec in partnership with EnviRemed LLC, the company’s U.S. agent working with local water authorities to implement the Technology, has resulted in the effective removal of total phosphorus (TP) from contaminated lake water to “never-before-seen levels”. EnviRemed LLC has informed Virotec that as a result of the trials US$200,000 has been allocated to implement a full-scale field trial of ViroFlow™ Technology at the lake, which will be monitored by local and state water management authorities.

Dr Lee Fergusson, Virotec’s Chief Executive Officer, explains the remarkable results. “The primary problem with contaminated lake water is that the presence of even low levels of nutrients in the water, nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, results in the over-fertilisation of the lake, and this condition generates an algal bloom as a consequence of the significant increase in phytoplankton in the water. Negative environmental effects include a loss of oxygen in the water, with severe reductions in fish and other animal populations. This problem is called ‘eutrophication’.” Virotec is typically asked by clients to treat water with a starting TP of between 20-70 parts per million, and our Technology is designed to produce a post-treatment TP level of between 1.0 and 2.0 parts per million, the level where eutrophication becomes a problem. Indeed, the company has conducted many such projects around the world including in the U.S. and UK, comfortably reaching these levels as a result of applying ViroFlow™ Technology.

Dr Fergusson explained that “in the case of the freshwater lake in the United States, we had starting levels of just 0.14 and 0.43 parts per million (or 150-430 parts per billion) but were required to reduce these already extremely low levels to 0.01 parts per million (or 10 parts per billion). We have never before observed such low levels of phosphorus in water, but according to U.S. authorities, these levels when considered in the light of total annual phosphorus loadings are high enough to cause a major problem in downstream waterways and wetlands, and hence the need for drastic measures.”

“I am pleased to announce to the market today,” Dr Fergusson went on to say, “that ViroFlow™ Technology reduced TP to under 0.007 parts per million or just 7.0 parts per billion.”

Dr Fergusson also reported that total nitrogen had been reduced as a result of ViroFlow™ Technology from 6.4 parts per million to 3.1 parts per million (a 52% reduction), and total potassium had been reduced from 16.3 parts per million to just 1.7 parts per million (a 90% reduction). While these other nutrients are of secondary concern to U.S. regulators, these significant reductions are also a benefit to the quality of lake water.

“Our results were confirmed twice by U.S. state environmental regulators in their own laboratories following Virotec’s test protocols and treatment methods,” Dr Fergusson explained, “and therefore mean we can now move to a large-scale field trial and further confirmation and acceptance of our Technology in the all important North American market. We will keep our customers and partners informed of our progress”