

PHOSPHORUS & HEAVY METALS REMOVAL
Many industrial plants have new tighter wastewater regulations being imposed. This can be observed with lower acceptable levels of phosphorus and heavy metals to which a plant can send to a POTW or to surface discharge under a NPDES permit. AbTech’s Smart Sponge HM (heavy metals) technology is an excellent phosphorus and metals polisher for added insurance to meet compliance.
Phosphorus
In most municipal and industrial plants with biological wastewater treatment, supplemental phosphorus must be added to insure an adequate supply for bacterial growth. But nutrient enrichment of receiving waters is a major water quality issue in North America. The USEPA, states and provinces have or are adding phosphorus discharge limits to industrial discharge permits, sometimes at very low levels. Many plants already have limits for phosphorus and are struggling to achieve compliance –using aerated lagoons and activated sludge processes.
Selenium
Elemental selenium is relatively nontoxic and is considered to be an essential trace element however it quickly becomes toxic at higher than recommended levels. Additionally, hydrogen selenide (H2Se) and several other selenium compounds are known to be extremely toxic. Physical deformities and reproductive failure have been noted in several aquatic species exposed to selenium at 10 µg/l which due to bioaccumulating resulted in tissue concentrations at 510 - 1395 times greater levels (Lemly, 2002).
Other Metals
Due to the discharge of large amounts of metal-contaminated wastewater, industries faced with the problem of by-products of heavy metals, such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, As, Pb, Hg and Zn, must comply with environmental regulations. If large quantities of these heavy metals are ingested beyond the permitted concentration, they can cause serious health disorders. Therefore, it is necessary to treat metal contaminated wastewater prior to its discharge to the environment.
The Solution?
What makes Smart Sponge HM Technology ideal in Phosphorus & Heavy Metals Water applications:
Smart Sponge® HM
AbTech Smart Sponge® HM (heavy metals) technology uses renewable resource based metal nanocomposites extruded into an adsorptive sponge media. The media will bind with phosphorus and heavy metals resulting in removal rates as high as 98%. The table below shows the highest level of removal achieved with the media. When applied as a polisher to primary treatment, Smart Sponge® HM media can reduce phosphorus and other metals to ultra-low levels to meet discharge requirements. Smart Sponge® HM can be applied in a pressurized vessel or atmospheric tank. The media can be regenerated onsite, or as a service, can be taken to an offsite treatment facility for regeneration.
Metals Removal Rates:
Innovating Towards the Future

Stormwater
Smart Sponge® HM can be engineered using controlled test parameters (such as modifying flow rates and phosphorus concentration) to meet your
performance requirements
Smart Sponge® HM is designed to assist water systems in meeting meeting certain contaminant discharge limits for a variety of heavy metals
Smart Sponge® HM can be placed into our Skimmers, Smart Paks, UUF’s, or, End of Pipe units
Oil Sheen Removal + Oil Spill Cleanup
AbTech booms and skimmers will resolve your oil sheen or oil spill problems: these products remove or greatly reduce sheen, will not absorb water, and effectively transform pollutants into a stable solid waste generally approved for landfill disposal by the EPA because the trapped hydrocarbons typically do not leak or leach.
End-of-Pipe Water Quality Unit
The End-of-Pipe Water Quality Unit (EOP WQU) combines the sediment treatment capabilities of a traditional Water Quality Unit (WQU) with AbTech's patented media for water quality improvement. The first step of stormwater treatment using the EOP WQU is to capture sediment that enters the stormwater system. The integration of AbTech media allows for a secondary treatment step, where a reduction in hydrocarbons, phosphorus, heavy metals or bacteria occurs, depending upon the filter media applied.