Bubble Barrier Wervershoof EN - The Great Bubble Barrier

Bubble Barrier Wervershoof

Microplastics Research:

Bubble Barrier Wervershoof

The increasing use of (micro) plastics which end up in surface water via wastewater and has possible consequences for public health.

The Great Bubble Barrier’s mission is to clear rivers and canals of plastic and thereby prevent pollution in the ocean to protect the global ecosystem. Pilots have shown that our technology removes plastic larger than 1 mm from flowing rivers and canals.

One of our following research questions is whether this Bubble Barrier is also suitable for intercepting microplastics.

Close-up Bubble Barrier Wervershoof

THE LATEST UPDATE

To answer this question, PWN (a drinking water company); Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier (HHNK – a water management board); and KWR ( a water research institute) will cooperate with us in a research consortium. This consortium is starting a study to prevent microplastics from purified waste water from flowing into surface water.

The parties are investigating the amount of microplastics in the treated waste water (effluent); the effect of a bubble screen (Bubble Barrier) on microplastics with a size of 0.5 mm to 0.02 mm and the improvement and standardization of the measuring method for microplastics. With this, the consortium is taking a step towards clarifying the nature of the cause and reducing the occurrence of microplastics in surface water as they can pose a threat to people and the environment.

Based on this research, we will further investigate the possibilities and limits of the Bubble Barrier in order to increase our impact.

Birdview Bubble Barrier Wervershoof | Timelapse 4 min

Bubble Barrier Wervershoof

The Bubble Barrier has been installed at a wastewater treatment plant in Wervershoof, North Holland, right after the wastewater treatment installation in the effluent canal. Via that canal, the purified wastewater flows in the direction of nature.
This Bubble Barrier will give us insights into the effect of the Bubble Barrier on microplastics in water. To measure this effect, three locations will be measured by KWR following the TRAMP methodology, every second week. This Bubble Barrier in Wervershoof has a length of 16 meters.

Monitoring point 1 – Baseline

This location will give insights in the amount of microplastics within the effluent; after the wastewater has been treated.

Monitoring point 2 – The effect

This location will give insights in the presence of microplastics just before the Bubble Barrier. We expect a higher concentration of microplastics, because the Bubble Barrier creates a circular current on the surface of the effluent.

Monitoring point 3 – The result

This location will give insights in the presence of microplastics just after the Bubble Barrier. We expect a lower concentration of microplastics compared to monitoring point 2.

Research setup Bubble Barrier Wervershoof | Schematic illustration

During this investigation, we will only focus on our current research questions. Depending on the results, we will later focus on the removal of microplastics in effluent canals. It is expected that the conclusions of the research will be shared halfway 2021. The first findings have been published in September 2019.

Due to the social importance of this research, it is co-financed by the TKI Water Technology program of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate and by drinking water company PWN.

Consortium partners

Press and media

Download the full press release here or get in contact with press support and imagery.
To stay up to date about our bubbles you can also sign up for our press list here.

PRESS RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT