Bridge Biotechnology embarks on R&D trial to improve global drinking water

Fife-based Bridge Biotechnology has become one of the first Scottish firms to test its technology at Scottish Water’s first-of-a-kind innovation development centre near Inverness after landing support from the Hydro Nation Water Innovation Service (HNWS) and partial funding from Scottish Enterprise.

The Dunfermline firm, which designs, manufactures and markets sustainable technologies across a range of sectors, has embarked on a 16-week trial of its ion-removing water purifying system, which could transform the quality of drinking water worldwide, at the Gorthleck facility following an award win back in 2015.

On scooping the VIBES Hydro Nation Award for Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland two years ago, Bridge Biotechnology also won part-funding from Scottish Enterprise and access to one of Scottish Water’s innovation test facilities at Gorthleck to trial its Capacitive Recovery System (CRS) technology.

The CRS – developed in a bid to improve global drinking water – is a low power, low waste purifying system which removes charged ionic contamination from water and has already been trialled by a number of customers in different environments for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and chromic acid removal.

A spokesperson from Bridge Biotechnology said: “Supplying the world’s population with clean water is a global issue. There are currently 884 million people worldwide who lack a basic drinking-water service – including 159 million people who are dependent on surface water.

“The situation is only likely to become exacerbated, with half of the world’s population likely to be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. Innovation is crucial to offer water solutions in both developed and developing countries.”

Following the 16-week trial at Gorthleck – the first test site of its kind in Scotland – the results will be evaluated and reported with the help of WRc, an independent centre for innovation and growth across the water, environment, gas, and resource management sectors, and used to attract commercial interest from potential buyers.

The CRS will be tested for its capacity to remove hardness, aluminium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and lead.