Nikolas Franceschi-Hoffmann, Geyser Remediation LLC.

Currently people in the drinking water industry are beginning to realize that a family of contaminants that had previously slipped under the radar, Per-and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs), are almost certainly toxic, and cause a variety of issues from developmental to cancers. Environmental regulators have therefore begun to regulate PFASs in some states as a result. However, no good technologies exist on the market that can get rid of all the chemicals in the family effectively, or cost-efficiently. Through work that started as a senior design project, we think we have designed a reactor capable of doing just that. If we can prototype it to prove that, then there is a good chance we can push regulators in states currently without regulation over the edge to start regulating in their state, too. That would effectively create a hostage market for us, as water utilities would be forced into compliance. We currently do not yet have a patent, but are working with the UConn IP Law Clinic to get a provisional patent. Indicators in the market are good for us as one estimate suggests as much as 1/3rd of the US population, or 110 million people are affected by this problem. Additionally, our end customers: water utilities and government agencies that we have met with thus far are all very interested and have shown excitement at the prospect of having a potential solution on the way.