LIFE Aquemfree. Water decontamination with photocatalysis

Novagric|Agricultural innovation, Organic agriculture, Water Treatment, Water Treatment|

Cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology to remove pesticide residues from farm wastewater.

The objective of the Life-Aquemfree project is to offer producers in the Region an alternative, economical and ecological technique to completely eliminate pesticide residues contained in the wastewater generated on their farms. The project will allow the Region of Murcia to once again become a pioneer, by achieving the degradation of a large part of the phytosanitary products resulting from this cleaning and rinsing. The patent developed through the European project called LIFE-Aquemfree has succeeded in eliminating 83% of the pollutant load in irrigation wastewater, using solar photocatalysis. In this way, through the absorption of light, water from backwash, rinsing and cleaning can be decontaminated. The 48-month project was carried out on four farms in the region with the aim of solving real problems, especially in the Mediterranean area, by means of an innovative technological solution. As a result, the development of technological innovation that solves problems from a technical, economic and environmental point of view is foreseen; new business models are proposed to provide services to farmers and governance mechanisms that include legal and financial aspects have been studied. “E”This project arises to provide a real solution to manage pesticide waste, as the Life-Aqueemfree system can offer an environmentally compatible solution and is economically viable.”