DAVIS, CA., March 9, 2016 -- Ionex SG today announced that its breakthrough nitrate removal system, the IX-N™, was conditionally approved for installation in California by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), Division of Drinking Water. The decision follows extensive multi-year testing that revealed the IX-N system to be a safe and efficient solution to remove nitrates from drinking water. The tests also proved that the system reduces brine waste volumes from the typical two percent range of traditional systems, to less than 0.5 percent of drinking water produced -- a game-changer for ion exchange. The breakthrough is thanks to a proprietary Selective Regeneration™ method that isolates the nitrates into a vastly smaller volume than what's possible with standard ion exchange regeneration methods, while optimizing safe components for re-use.
The combination of the patented regeneration technique and Ionex SG's end-to-end waste management/disposal services delivers a robust nitrate removal system with lifecycle costs that are 10X lower than standard ion exchange treatment systems.
Ionex SG's Strong Base Anion Exchange treatment process is already deployed in California for removal of hexavalent chromium (chromium-6), with near-zero waste. The technology is highly regarded for its transformative environmental, efficiency and low-cost advantages. Now, with the Conditional Acceptance decision, any public water authority in California can use the same technology platform for nitrate removal, and achieve similar benefits.
Nitrates are commonly found in California drinking water and can be harmful to health. In rural areas, the main source of nitrates is fertilizers. Nitrates are also a byproduct of waste-water treatment plants, dairy farms, and leaky septic tanks.
"We're delighted to achieve Conditional Acceptance in California where the bar for drinking water quality is so high," said Ionex SG Founder & Director of Technology, Mike Waite. "When it comes to treatment solutions, we learned that our customers' appetite for innovation is matched by respect for the environment. That said, they have high performance expectations for their systems, and their cost priorities are stringent. The IX-N system addresses these essentials. It is ion exchange completely re-imagined with novel features that equip the technology for 21st century deployment. Along with the equipment innovation, customers can expect a complete treatment solution with vastly lower lifecycle costs than what's possible with traditional ion exchange systems."
Since 2011, Ionex SG has conducted three demonstration-scale studies in California to fine-tune its Strong Base Anion Exchange Treatment with Sulfate Return Treatment Process for nitrate-contaminated drinking water. In its May 2015 Conditional Acceptance Challenge Study Report, the company documented that through the optimized design and operation of: a) the ion exchange distributor system, b) a multi-stage multi-column lead-lag process, c) a selective regeneration process, and d) a sulfate return process, it is capable of designing, manufacturing and implementing a full-scale ion exchange treatment system that can produce safe drinking water. The Study Report further showed that the system can reduce the brine waste volumes from the typical 2 percent range of traditional systems, to less than 0.5 percent of drinking water produced.
Added Waite, "We could not have reached this milestone without the extraordinary cooperation of customers, consulting engineers, and valued suppliers, as well as SWRCB professionals. Their support and guidance throughout this process has helped us deliver a truly innovative nitrate treatment system."
For information on the IX-N system, visit www.ionexsg.com.
About Ionex SG Ltd. Ionex SG Ltd., a UK-based technology company, is the environmental engineering business of the Severn Glocon Group. Our US headquarters is located in Davis, California. We're experts in the research, design, build and operation of specialized ion exchange systems to treat water for contaminants like nitrates and hexavalent chromium. Our products incorporate innovative electrochemical and catalytic technologies to abate the harmful contaminants, while producing near-zero waste. This makes treatment of ground water economical and more environmentally friendly for water districts of all sizes. For information on Ionex SG, visit www.ionexsg.com.
