A green solution
for water purification

Macroporous polymeric cryogel based on N-alkyl-D-glucamine to sequester and/or remove toxic contaminants.
N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMG) is a chelating species used for environmental applications thanks to its high chelating efficiency towards metal anions.
The technology presented, called CrioPurA, is a realization of NMG-based hydrogels, produced by cryo-polymerization in water. The synthesis of polymeric materials, functionalized ad hoc with chelating groups, allows low costs and eco-sustainable materials to subsequently obtain adsorbent materials. In particular, the technique adopted for the realization of the material allows to obtain structures and shapes of different sizes, with high porosity, permeability and excellent sequestering action towards boron, arsenic, chromium and other metals.

CrioPura can be regenerated, reused and used selectively for water treatment. The technology finds application as an exchange resin for the removal of inorganic pollutants from water. This allows to find a valid application and integration in the cycle of tertiary wastewater treatments, without additional costs for the implementation of the plant, as a filter for industrial plants (tanning, dyes, textiles, microelectronics), groundwater, in agriculture for boron removal.

In some areas where the presence of As (V) in water for domestic use is significantly higher than the legal limits imposed by the WHO (10 μg/L), the CrioPurA application, considering the exceptional sequestering properties, could be more effective and with lower operating costs than current technologies.