GRAFTA Nanotech
In Situ Groundwater & Contaminated Site Remediation
Turning Groundwater Contamination from a Liability into Long-Term Protection
Many industrial, mining, and brownfield sites face a persistent (and often invisible) challenge: contaminated groundwater plumes. Whether the contamination stems from hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, or legacy industrial waste, untreated groundwater can migrate slowly, threatening soil, surface water, ecosystems, and nearby communities.
With GRAFTA™, remediation doesn’t always require heavy excavation or energy-intensive treatment plants. Instead, GRAFTA enables in-situ (in-place) solutions - passive, long-lasting, and low-footprint - that stop contamination at the source and prevent further spread.
Why GRAFTA™ is Well-Suited for In-Situ Remediation
-
Passive & Long-Term Contaminant Removal: GRAFTA™ can be deployed as a reactive medium underground (e.g., via injection or reactive barriers), where it continuously treats migrating groundwater without active maintenance.
-
Broad Spectrum of Contaminants: Suitable for a wide range of problematic groundwater contaminants: hydrocarbons (e.g., BTEX, PAHs, chlorinated solvents), phenols, heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, selenium, etc.), and other toxic industrial pollutants.
-
Superior Adsorption + Near-Zero Leaching: GRAFTA’s graphene-based structure delivers very high adsorption capacity; once contaminants are bound, they remain stably immobilized, minimizing risk of leaching, re-contamination or secondary pollution.
-
Flexible Deployment Methods: Can be installed via traditional excavation/trench, soil mixing, or injection, depending on site geology and groundwater depth. Reactive zones can take the form of a Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) or other in-situ treatment configurations.
-
Robust Hydraulic Performance & Physical Durability: Particle size (approx. 150–450 µm) and density are engineered to maintain groundwater flow while offering high reactivity, avoiding common issues like clogging or washout.
How It Works: From Nano-Scale Chemistry to Site-Scale Protection
At the heart of GRAFTA™ is a micro-scale particle substrate coated with multiple layers of graphene and graphene-oxide nanosheets. This graphemic structure delivers an exceptionally high surface area (~ 2,600 m² per gram) for adsorption of a wide range of mining contaminants:
-
Organic contaminants (e.g., hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents) are primarily captured by the hydrophobic graphene layers via π-π interactions and van der Waals forces.
-
Heavy metals and other ionic contaminants are adsorbed onto the graphene-oxide surfaces.
-
For more challenging contaminants (e.g., oxyanions like selenate or nitrates), GRAFTA offers a modified variant - GRAFTA™ 2.0 (G2) - which uses a built-in reducing agent to convert these species into more adsorbable forms before immobilization.
-
Because the graphene layers are thermally bonded to the substrate, GRAFTA™ avoids releasing free graphene or graphene oxide into the environment (a common concern with nanoscale materials), making it suitable for in-situ deployment.
GRAFTA™ nanoscale graphene layers
Typical Applications & Use-Cases
-
Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs): Reactive trenches or injection-based barriers intercept contaminant plumes and treat groundwater passively as it flows through the barrier;
-
Soil-mixing or injection-based barriers: Where excavation isn’t practical or permissible (e.g., under existing infrastructure), GRAFTA™ can be mixed into soil or injected to create reactive zones;
-
Brownfield or legacy-site remediation: In old industrial or mining sites where contamination has spread, GRAFTA provides a low-impact option to contain and treat groundwater plumes without major disruption.;
-
Hydrocarbon-impacted aquifers / free-phase hydrocarbon zones: For sites contaminated by petroleum, fuel leaks, or other persistent hydrocarbon sources, GRAFTA has shown strong performance in bench-scale tests, supporting PRB deployment as a sustainable remedy.
Benefits: For Operators, Regulators & Communities
-
Cost-Effective, Low-Maintenance Remediation: Once installed, GRAFTA systems generally require no active operations; groundwater flows naturally, and contaminants are removed passively for years.
-
Reduced Environmental Impact & Footprint: No need for large treatment facilities, energy-intensive pumping, or continuous chemical dosing, making GRAFTA ideal for remote, sensitive, or constrained sites.
-
Broad Contaminant Coverage: Handles both organic and inorganic/challenging contaminants in a single barrier, simplifying remediation planning and reducing the need for multi-stage treatments.
-
Long-Term Stability & Reliability: High physical durability, negligible leaching, and long adsorption cycles mean that once installed, the barrier can deliver over long periods (years to decades), reducing operational and lifecycle liabilities.
-
Regulatory & Community Confidence: Passive, stable, and contained remediation helps meet regulatory standards while minimizing disruption, valuable for gaining social license, especially for sensitive or legacy sites.
Start Building a Cleaner, Safer Future Today
Every contaminated site is unique - and so is the solution.
Whether you’re managing a legacy industrial site, a brownfield redevelopment, or an active remediation project, GRAFTA™ offers a passive, long-term, and cost-effective pathway to groundwater protection.
Our team can assess your site conditions, water chemistry, and remediation goals to design a GRAFTA™-based in-situ system tailored to your needs.
Tell us about your site, and we’ll recommend the optimal GRAFTA™ deployment strategy.
