KWR granted European patent for the use of natural viruses to monitor treatment processes

Membrane filtration is one of the treatment techniques to which the natural-virus method is applied. It turns out that the qPCR-based method is highly sensitive in determining how effectively a physical water treatment plant removes viruses. In 2019  a Dutch patent was received for this new method. The application procedure for a European patent was then initiated and, within the context of the TKI programme, a case study was conducted to determine the efficiency of the natural virus removal at several drinking water utilities, and concluded with positive results [in Dutch].

Wider and handy application

The new method developed by KWR makes use of viruses that are naturally present in large concentrations in the water. By means of small sample volumes, and without the need to add any preliminary chemical or biological virus surrogates, natural viruses make it is possible to monitor the virus removal with a high level of sensitivity. This method in fact makes it possible to determine the 7 LRV (Log Removal Value), which is equivalent to a 99.99999% removal of the virus particles. ‘Besides the use for membranes, in the future we also want to see how our approach works for other physical treatment processes, such as flocculation, floc removal and rapid filtration,’ says Beerendonk. ‘To this end, we started a new TKI project in which we also want to convert the lab version of the technology into a handy box, with which the end-users can themselves carry out the measurements on-site. This gives you the advantages of monitoring the treatment plant’s performance even more up-close, and of enabling immediate action whenever necessary.’

Extending innovation further

This is the second time that a European patent has been granted to a method developed by KWR. With our motto of ‘bridging science to practice’, obtaining such a patent is not an objective in itself, says Beerendonk. ‘It’s not our aim to keep knowledge to ourselves. In fact, we want to make our knowledge available to the water sector. The European patent is intended to help drinking water utilities make use of this knowledge. And it also demonstrates that KWR carries out innovative research that is unique in Europe. I hope this generates attention, so that we can implement the method in water practice and thereby extend it further.’