Important FAQs
Is Ferrate poured directly into streams and rivers?
No. Ferrate is used in a controlled manner within a “pump & treat” process. Water from a lake, canal or river is pumped out and ferrate is added. Oxidation and coagulation reactions are fast resulting in an inert precipitate of plain iron which has complexed the phosphorus. This is removed via sedimentation and reapplied to the fields, and the treated water is returned to the environment. Nothing from the ferrate addition remains in the water.
Can Ferrate clean up large bodies of water like Lake Okeechobee?
Yes. Ferrate systems can be scaled up to large flows because it is a simple chemical treatment. Hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day can be treated with a modest size system capable of removing thousands of TONS of phosphorus + nitrogen + cyanobacteria.
Is Ferrate safe for fish and wildlife?
Ferrate is never contacted with any wildlife including fishes. It is added during a pump & treat process, and the treated water (returned to the environment) is the same as before treatment (minus the nutrients and the suspended materials including algae and bacteria).
Is there any danger to the environment when Nitrogen is evaporated?
Ferrate is the only chemical in the world that can convert nitrogen, which has been discharged to the water from wastewater treatment plants or fertilizers, to a harmless nitrogen gas. This gas leaves the water and goes into the atmosphere (our air is already 70% nitrogen) and its volume is insignificant compared to the nitrogen already present.
What happens if there is a chemical spill?
Ferrate is produced on the site where it is formed by mixing together common commercial chemicals (ferric iron, caustic, and bleach). These are the only chemicals that could “spill”, as the produced ferrate is injected into the water as soon as it is generated. These feedstock chemicals are used at most every water and wastewater plant in the world and required spill “prevention” measures are already in place.
What does Ferrate do to the salinity or pH of the water, and is there any concern about the change in either of these to the environment?
There is no change in pH of the treated water due to Ferrate treatment. Some minor amounts of salt (chloride) will be added during the treatment, but this is small and will be diluted when the treated effluent is added back to the environment.
Can I use Ferrate in my house or in my sprinkler system?
No. Ferrate is intended for large-scale use.
Once Ferrate is added to water, how long will it take to kill algae and bacteria?
Oxidation and disinfection (killing) reactions are rapid. Contact time to inactivate bacteria and algae will be approximately five minutes.
Will there be any smell related to Ferrate treatment?
People have talked about Ferrate’s remarkable treatment abilities for over 40 years (20,000+ open literature publications). The reason it has not be utilized is that the chemical was not available on a commercial scale. It now is … because we have figured out how to make it cheaply, on-site, from common feed-stock chemicals.
How come nobody has talked about Ferrate as a solution, before?
No. In fact Ferrate has been used to deodorize wastewater sludge so that it can be land-applied.
Ferrate Solutions
The simple but elegant solution that opens this technology for global commercialization is the design and fabrication of equipment that can be utilized to produce and deliver liquid Ferrate(VI) solutions at designed doses for each treatment challenge. The formula for blending readily available chemical feedstocks to continually produce a concentrated Ferrate(VI) solution has been developed by the principals of this company. The founders of FERRATE SOLUTIONS Inc. (FS) also have the knowledge and experience to utilize proprietary formulations of different liquid Ferrate(VI) solutions to effectively treat: drinking water, domestic and industrial wastewater, sludge and gasses. FS has partnered with a major equipment manufacturer to build specialized Ferrate(VI) synthesis and support equipment. FS Ferrate(VI) treatment systems are guaranteed, and come with maintenance packages to assure worry free operation in the field.
Invest in a Clean Future
Ferrate Solutions Inc. is currently seeking investors who are interested in bringing this technology to the international market place.
For inquiries, please contact Geoffrey P. Wight at 505-433-3498 or email g.wight@waitecompany.com.