Spectrally: deeptech that protects clean water resources and the environment
Why was Spectrally created?
A huge problem is the shrinking freshwater resource, with an ever-increasing demand for clean water. With industrial activities such as the dumping of industrial effluents, the occurrence of spills or the production of atmospheric emissions, we need to focus on its protection. However, there are insufficient quality control methods. Current water quality monitoring systems are based on laboratory tests and are, above all, time-consuming (you have to wait up to a month for the results), expensive and not very cost-effective. The lack of adequate tools for water quality monitoring institutions is also a major problem. The situation two years ago regarding the pollution of the Oder River alone gave us much cause for thought. More than 360 tonnes of dead fish were caught in an almost 500 km stretch of the river. This shows how important it is to focus on water and environmental protection.
Over a period of several years, every industrial company will have to monitor its waste. This is due to Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022, which will introduce due diligence obligations in relation to respect for human rights and environmental issues for certain groups of companies, meaning that these companies will have to introduce waste monitoring and control. The solution will allow them to control the quality of the water sewage produced by the companies on an ongoing basis.
Solution features:
- measurement in real time, fast, no consumable components, no sample preparation required, ideal for flow assay,
- the result of the measurement is a spectrophotometer of the substance containing a ‘fingerprint’ of the presence of the substances sought and their concentrations. In this way, the system can automatically warn of hazards such as contamination.
- low cost of manufacturing the solution and its maintenance,
- a ready-made technology platform that can be easily adapted to the customer’s unique needs,
- a fully automated solution that requires no specialised maintenance,
- highly personalised for the customer
How does the device work?
The device is connected directly to the waste water pipe. Under pressure, the water is discharged into a section made of quartz glass and x-rayed with a laser light beam of Raman spectroscopy. The parameters of the reflected light beams inform us of the chemical concentrations present. Receiving the results in real time allows us to react quickly and avoid potential hazards.
The company is currently looking for manufacturing facilities to pilot the implementation of the solution, in order to confirm product-market-fit and build product-market-fit for future customers.
Sales of the device are already planned for next year.
Spectrally was rewarded early on in its development. The company made it to the final 10, of the third edition of the ING Poland Grant Programme where it was able to present a real impact on the protection of the water environment.
