SUEZ makes water quality one of the priorities of its research activities. A pioneer in the analysis and treatment of micro pollutants, the Group is developing new processes to identify and eliminate complex pollutants such as PFAS and metabolites.
PolSolutions
PolSolutions, the algorithm to understand the origin of micropollutants
Fighting micropollutants means first of all understanding where they come from. Wastewater can help to better understand the origin of micropollutants. PolSolutions' ambition is to draw on the dense network of SUEZ wastewater treatment plants in France and tap into their wealth of data to improve water quality.
Using artificial intelligence, this digital solution uses the analyses carried out by treatment plants to identify micropollutants present in wastewater, which include pesticides, metals, chlorobenzene, chlorophenols and more. PolSolutions uses an extremely rich database, covering more than 100 micropollutants studied at over 100 wastewater treatment plants!
Better target and prioritise
PolSolutions is designed to help communities better target and prioritise their prevention actions to better fight against micropollutants at the source.
PFAS and metabolites
Better understand PFAS and metabolites to better fight them
As part of its action against micropollutants, SUEZ aims to advance the scientific knowledge of PFAS*. As one of the primary stakeholders in the sector, SUEZ has embarked on a voluntary process to better understand the origin of these compounds and control the treatment of drinking water.
As early as 2018, CIRSEE began structuring a PFAS research and development programme to develop SUEZ's capabilities in analytical expertise, exploring various treatment solutions, treatment control, from dosing reagents, to renewing activated carbons, to membrane operating conditions. Semi-industrial pilots are used to determine the optimum conditions for implementing the processes.
In February 2022, a SUEZ patent was published for a digital solution that enables the optimal combination of processes to be defined according to the content and nature of the pollutants detected. In addition, the partial degradation of pesticides in the environment leads to the presence of "metabolites" from these products, which can persist for decades. SUEZ has developed expertise in measuring these micropollutants (including for very low concentrations), their treatment and their elimination.
* PFAS include thousands of chemical compounds found in various industrial and consumer products such as textiles, food packaging, fire-fighting foams, non-stick coatings, cosmetics, phytosanitary products etc.
Support communities
Since late 2022, SUEZ has been able to support communities in choosing the best technologies with expertise in integrating these solutions into their water treatment plants.
Multivirus City Watch
Multivirus City Watch, wastewater for public health
Our wastewater reflects our lifestyles, so sanitation activities can be a valuable health monitoring tool for communities.
During the health crisis, SUEZ developed the Covid-19 City Watch solution to detect the presence of viral genome in wastewater using molecular biology. SUEZ is now developing the innovation Multivirus City Watch, to help detect and monitor other epidemics including influenza, bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis and viral hepatitis. The solution is moving towards an automated on-site sampling and analysis system, developed in collaboration with startups. Wastewater samples are taken at the inlet of treatment plants.
Multivirus City Watch is one of the first solutions of this type on the market to outpace the European obligations to monitor viruses in wastewater, which could result from the future Urban Wastewater Directive.
Bronchiolitis, influenza and gastroenteritis
The Multivirus City Watch solution is being tested across several wastewater treatment plants in France. The solution has helped to monitor trends in 2022 winter's bronchiolitis, influenza and gastroenteritis epidemics.
Contact us
Want to know more about our innovations? Get in touch with us!
