Partnership delivers total PFAS onsite destruction

A collaboration between Nijhuis Saur Industries (NSI) and Axine is delivering total onsite PFAS destruction combining technologies from both companies into one offering - PFAS Destruct.

A strategic collaboration for a sustainable future

Under terms of the agreement, NSI will assemble, manufacture and supply the PFAS Destruct solution, enabled by Axine’s electraCLEAR technology, which the partners suggest will set a new industry benchmark in sustainable, PFAS-free water treatment.

According to NSI, the partnership represents a strategic expansion of Saur Group’s comprehensive portfolio for PFAS removal and concentration. PFAS Destruct effectively adds Axine’s electraCLEAR technology to NSI’ existing technologies, such as those using ion exchange and membranes to offer integrated onsite and, if required, mobile PFAS conservation and then destruction.

Menno M. Holterman, CEO of Nijhuis Saur Industries, told Aquatech Online: “With this powerful collaboration, NSI and Axine Water Technologies are setting a new industry standard in sustainable water treatment. PFAS Destruct represents the ultimate force against PFAS contamination, ensuring a cleaner, safer future for our customers. Another inspiring example of our commitment to revolutionise PFAS elimination and contribute to the health and wellbeing of our planet.”

electraCLEAR destruction

Axine's electraCLEAR treatment involves immersing conductive electrodes into a flowing process stream. By applying an electrical potential (voltage), electrons travel from the anode (negative electrode) to the cathode (positive electrode). The selection of electrode materials and applied current determines the process reactivity and chemical reaction pathways for treatment.

For challenging compounds like PFAS, electrons are directly transferred at the anode's surface, initiating chemical oxidation. The oxidized contaminant can then react with hydroxyl radicals, ozone, and various chemical radicals/oxidants generated in the process to enable degradation.

electraCLEAR's key innovation of the ability to utilise multiple different catalysts and electrode materials simultaneously within a single reactor. This maximizes treatment performance, energy efficiency, and electrode lifespan.

The electraCLEAR solution destroys contaminants down to their elemental building blocks, such as dissolved carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas, hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and some dissolved mineral salts. This leaves no solid or liquid waste products leftover, which allows the treated wastewater to be directly discharged.

Initial laboratory testing of the electraCLEAR technology demonstrated over 99.98% destruction of PFAS compounds in concentrated wastewater samples. The next stage was to trial a fully containerized unit onsite, which achieved a higher destruction rate at 99.9%-99.999%, including all six EPA-regulated forms of PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS compounds, precursor compounds, and ultra-short PFAS like TFA.

Turning contamination into pure innovation

Mark Ralph, CEO of Axine Water Technologies, emphasised the impact of the partnership both for the company and the environment: “For years, Axine has helped industries efficiently treat wastewater, enabling customers to focus on their core business. This partnership is a pivotal step forward in our mission to expand into Europe and other geographies. Together, we are introducing an unmatched, scalable solution for PFAS destruction. With electraCLEAR, we are turning contamination into pure innovation.”

Wilbert Menkveld, CTO of Nijhuis Saur Industries, also emphasises the environmental benefits of the partnership: “This collaboration marks a major milestone in our commitment to environmental sustainability. By uniting NSI’s deep industry expertise with Axine’s disruptive PFAS destruction technology, we are delivering the future of water treatment today—reliable, modular, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for decentralized wastewater treatment. PFAS Destruct with Axine’s electraCLEAR process is a true game-changer, eliminating PFAS at the speed of innovation.”