Symbios Technologies LLC, a leading developer of water and energy technologies, has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This prestigious two-year grant was awarded to advance and commercialize Symbios’ Tubular Plasma Reactor™ (TPR) for water treatment and improving the economic and environmental impact of domestic oil and gas extraction.

The patent-pending Symbios TPR is an innovative approach to eliminating organic pollutants and microorganisms from water by implementing low-power, distributed electrolytic technology. The TPR minimizes the need for chlorine and other chemicals and can reduce costs of key steps in treating oil and gas wastewaters by 95%. It can also reduce demand for fresh water used for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and ease transportation, regulatory, and cost issues associated with using chemical oxidants and biocides while preventing well contamination and equipment corrosion.

“Symbios’ non-chemical plasma water treatment system is a potential game-changer in oil and gas wastewater remediation, and could make possible widespread recycling of fracking wastewaters vs. the predominant practice of deep well disposal,” said Symbios president and CEO, Justin Bzdek. “Our technologies will also enable exciting new research and commercial expansion in power generation, biorefining, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage markets.”

The NSF funding will be used for improvements to Symbios’ successful lab prototype, which was developed and tested at the Colorado State University Research Innovation Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, for the creation of a commercial prototype with Symbios’ strategic partners, and to prepare for production.

About Symbios Technologies

Symbios Technologies LLC develops and commercializes state-of-the-art technologies at the water-energy nexus. The company works with its university, government, and industrial partners to improve the economics and sustainability of the production of energy, fuels, chemicals, foods and beverages, and pharmaceutical products. Symbios has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation for its two platform technologies, the Symbios Tubular Plasma Reactor™ for advanced water treatment and the Symbios Catalytic Membrane Reactor for production of high-quality, low-cost sugars from biomass for sustainable conversion into fuels and chemicals. For more information go to www.symbiostechnologies.com.