Developed under the European SEACURE project, the pilot plant has successfully completed installation and commissioning and is now entering the operational monitoring and validation phase under real-world conditions.
INGEOBRAS has successfully completed the installation and commissioning of a BIOBOX pilot plant at the Los Alcázares Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Murcia, Spain, achieving Milestone 4 of the European SEACURE project. This achievement marks the completion of the design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning stages, paving the way for the pilot’s operational monitoring, optimisation and validation under real-world conditions.
The installation forms part of SEACURE DEMO#1, led by INGEOBRAS in collaboration with CETENMA, and focuses on validating a biological denitrification solution for agricultural waters containing high nitrate concentrations. The pilot is located near the Mar Menor, a Mediterranean coastal lagoon where reducing nutrient pollution remains a major environmental priority.
BIOBOX Technology Adapted to Agricultural Water Treatment
The pilot plant incorporates BIOBOX Puremust-SN, INGEOBRAS’ patented technology, which has previously been applied in other nitrate removal applications.
Within SEACURE, the technology has been specifically adapted and scaled to treat agricultural runoff waters originating from the D7 drainage channel area, which contribute to water flows reaching the Mar Menor. These waters present characteristics and operating challenges that differ from conventional drinking water and industrial wastewater treatment applications.
Biological denitrification relies on microorganisms capable of converting nitrates into nitrogen gas through a controlled biological process. This approach enables the treatment of water containing high nitrate concentrations using a technology designed for stable, automated operation.
The BIOBOX solution integrates the biological reactor with the necessary pretreatment, chemical dosing, instrumentation, pumping, backwashing and control systems, providing a comprehensive treatment process.
From Manufacturing to On-Site Installation
The BIOBOX demonstrator has been designed as a complete, transportable treatment unit, facilitating its installation and integration into existing infrastructure.
Following manufacturing and quality inspections at INGEOBRAS’ facilities, the plant was transported to Los Alcázares, where unloading, positioning and installation of the auxiliary equipment were carried out.
The subsequent installation activities included the hydraulic, electrical and control connections required to integrate the pilot with the existing WWTP infrastructure.
The installation comprises the raw water feed system, biological denitrification reactor, inlet filtration, chemical dosing equipment, process instrumentation, treated water storage for backwashing operations, and control and automation systems.
The plant is also equipped with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Human-Machine Interface (HMI), enabling operators to monitor key process parameters and manage the automated functions established for the pilot.
Successful Commissioning and System Verification
The commissioning phase involved comprehensive testing and verification of the plant’s main components and operating functions.
Activities included adjusting the inlet flow rate, verifying inlet filtration performance, checking process sensors and instrumentation, configuring the chemical dosing system required for biological treatment, and inoculating the denitrifying biomass into the reactor.
The filter media backwashing cycles and automated operating sequences were also tested to verify their correct performance.
As part of the commissioning process, the plant operated continuously for more than 24 hours, allowing INGEOBRAS to assess overall system stability, process measurements and the response of pumping, dosing, instrumentation and control equipment.
Successful completion of these activities confirms the readiness of the installation to begin the next stage of the demonstration.
Moving Towards Real-World Performance Validation
Achieving Milestone 4 represents a significant transition from technology development and installation to demonstration under actual operating conditions.
The next phase will focus on evaluating BIOBOX Puremust-SN over an extended operating period, optimising process parameters and generating representative data to assess its performance when treating agricultural waters.
The monitoring and validation activities will address several key aspects:
- Nitrate removal efficiency and overall treatment performance.
- Biological process stability, including biomass development and adaptation to operating conditions.
- Response to variations in influent water quality and treatment requirements.
- Filtration performance and backwashing cycles, including their impact on system operation.
- Chemical consumption and resource optimisation.
- Operation and maintenance requirements, with a view to potential future scale-up.
These activities will help establish the technical and operational performance of the technology and identify opportunities for further optimisation.
The results will also provide valuable information on the feasibility of applying biological denitrification solutions to agricultural water streams in other locations facing similar nutrient pollution challenges.
Supporting Nutrient Pollution Reduction in the Mediterranean
For INGEOBRAS, the Los Alcázares demonstrator represents another step forward in the development and validation of its proprietary water treatment technologies through BIOBOX.
The company combines engineering, manufacturing, automation, commissioning and process expertise to develop integrated water treatment solutions tailored to different contamination scenarios and operational requirements.
The SEACURE pilot extends this experience to one of the Mediterranean’s most pressing environmental challenges: nutrient pollution originating from land-based activities and its transport towards sensitive aquatic ecosystems.
SEACURE addresses this challenge through an integrated land-river-sea approach, developing and demonstrating innovative solutions to prevent, reduce and remediate nutrient pollution throughout the Mediterranean basin.
The project, officially titled “Innovative solutions to prevent, reduce and remediate nutrient pollution along the land-river-sea system in the Mediterranean basin”, brings together research institutions, public authorities, companies and organisations from different Mediterranean countries.
SEACURE is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101157327.
Next Steps: Monitoring, Optimisation and Knowledge Transfer
With the BIOBOX pilot plant installed and commissioned, DEMO#1 now enters a crucial phase: continuous operation, monitoring and validation under real-world conditions.
Over the coming months, INGEOBRAS and its project partners will focus on assessing the performance of the biological denitrification process, refining operational parameters and generating the technical evidence needed to evaluate the technology’s potential for wider application.
The results will contribute to advancing more effective strategies for reducing nitrates and other nutrients in waters affected by agricultural activities, supporting the protection and recovery of vulnerable Mediterranean aquatic ecosystems.
INGEOBRAS will share the main developments and findings as representative monitoring and validation data become available, helping strengthen knowledge transfer between research organisations, industry, public authorities and water management stakeholders