The Wervershoof wastewater treatment plant, part of the Dutch Water Board’s network of facilities, has obtained strong results from Kemira’s new and chlorine-free DesinFix technology. The plant is located next to IJsselmeer Lake, a region used widely for public recreation. While searching for an efficient and inexpensive alternative to chlorination, the water board caught wind of Kemira’s new solution in mid-2006.
DesinFix consists of a combination of formic acid and hydrogen peroxide that, when correctly mixed, form a biocide called DEX-135. The chemical disinfects treated water within ten minutes, and because DEX-135 breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, no toxic byproducts are formed. In tests conducted at Wervershoof between 2006 and 2008, the method resulted in a 99.5-percent average in bacteria reduction.
In the future, the Dutch Water Board plans to utilize DesinFix on a continuous basis. The process to obtain approval for a new chemical process from governmental authorities is lengthy in The Netherlands, but the water board expects to receive a green light by the end of this year. The DesinFix concept and DEX-135 have already been approved for use in Germany, France, Poland, the United Kingdom and the Scandinavian countries.
Text: Kati Heikinheimo
Original article published in Kemira’s stakeholder magazine Waterlink 3/2009