A series of prototype greywater treatment units were designed and constructed by Econetique. These are intended to be used to determine those process parameters that yield safe greywater effluent suitable for reuse.
These research units will provide invaluable information on the effect of seasonality on the process, maintenance procedures to keep the units operating at high efficiency and the corrective actions required if productivity declines.
Three prototype units have been installed at MCAST. One unit contained blank Titanium plates and served as a control unit whilst the other two units contained the active titanium dioxide nanotubes.
Based on laboratory-based and aging tests, these materials are expected to exhibit high photocatalytic activity. Upon exposure to sunlight these materials are expected to induce the production of reactive oxygen species that will degrade both bacterial and chemical components.
Having two units available allows for the simultaneous assessment of different process parameters whilst the units are exposed to the same climatic conditions. The data generated from these units will help establish process parameters that yield high-quality treated greywater.
By determining the process parameters, the complexity of the final units and thus the cost can be reduced, rendering this green technology more attractive and accessible.
Three additional prototype units are deployed at the University of Catania (UniCT), allowing for comparative studies between Maltese and Sicilian climatic conditions and their effect on photocatalytic performance.
