Waste Water Monitoring System based on in-field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Volker Bucher
• Subject Area: Microsystems ; Measurement Systems
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568926131

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals”, are synthetic organic fluorine compounds that are widely used in numerous everyday products such as non-stick coatings, waterproofing agents and fire-fighting foams. Their long-term accumulation and persistence in the environment pose serious health and ecological risks, the full extent of which is not yet fully understood. As a result, increasingly stringent European regulations are being introduced to control their use. In this context, the Wa2MOS project aims to develop an innovative device to continuously monitor PFAS concentrations in aqueous environments and issue alerts when critical thresholds are exceeded. This device is specifically designed for wastewater, both at the inlet of wastewater treatment plants to determine whether specific cleaning is needed and at the outlet of factories that use PFAS to proactively detect potential leaks and prevent contamination of the natural environment. The measurement method chosen for this project is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with fluorine-19. Unlike conventional methods, which require bulky equipment, are difficult to reuse, and are poorly suited for field measurements, portable NMR offers several key advantages, such as i) detection of a wide range of PFAS, even at very low concentrations; ii) a compact and mobile solution that facilitates on-site use; and iii) improved reusability, thereby reducing analysis costs. The project brings together two partners: the ICube laboratory at the University of Strasbourg/CNRS, an expert in instrumental electronic systems, and the Institute for Microsystems Technology at Furtwangen University, which specializes in the miniaturization and integration of microsystems. The three-year project is divided into five work packages (WPs). Three of them focus on the development of the three main components of a portable NMR device: the magnet, the coil and the control electronics. For each of these components, the work includes a modeling phase, component design, manufacturing, assembly and characterization. The fourth work package focuses on the integration of these three building blocks into a complete device capable of performing NMR measurements. Finally, the last work package includes project coordination and communication activities. If successful, Wa2MOS will mark a significant breakthrough in the environmental monitoring of PFAS. With this project, the consortium aims to establish itself as a key player in the development of new solutions for monitoring emerging contaminants, thereby strengthening its role in the transition to a more sustainable water industry.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Morgan Madec, Ph.D.