ECT advances PFAS remediation technology with completed REM pilot system
ECT advances PFAS remediation technology with completed REM pilot system
Publish Date: 2026-06-15 00:42:00
Source Domain: www.proactiveinvestors.com
Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd (ASX:ECT, OTC:ECTHF) has completed construction of its pilot Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation system, marking a key step toward commercial in-situ PFAS remediation.
The upgraded pilot system delivers 22 kilowatts of power output, about 18 times that of ECT’s laboratory prototype, and is designed to enable faster and more energy-efficient destruction of PFAS in contaminated soil and granular activated carbon.
ECT said the system operates at 170 kilohertz and 2,200 volts, compared with 70 kilohertz and 500 volts for the lab-scale prototype. The higher voltage and frequency are intended to improve current flow through soil and increase treatment efficiency.
Additive-free operation
A key feature of the redesigned system is its ability to operate without conductive additives such as biochar, which were used in earlier laboratory configurations to help carry current through contaminated soil.
ECT said removing the need for additives addresses a major barrier to large-scale in-situ use by reducing cost and complexity.
The pilot system is also about 50% smaller in volume and 75% lighter than the laboratory configuration, making it more suitable for deployment across contaminated sites.
Chief technology officer Justin Sharp said completion of the pilot system marked the transition from a laboratory-validated concept to a system capable of field deployment.
“Completion of our own pilot system marks the transition from a laboratory-validated concept to a system we can actually deploy in the field. This is the system we’ve been working towards for many years at Rice University. The step-change in power output is what unlocks in-situ soil remediation at a commercial scale, overcoming a longstanding challenge in pushing sufficient current through soil without conductive additives or fixed infrastructure, and making the technology far more commercially viable.
“Just as importantly, we’ve cut system volume by around 50%…
