Algal Turf Scrubber® systems are supported by decades of research, pilot-scale demonstrations, and full-scale facility operation across a range of water treatment applications.
Since the late 1970s, researchers and practitioners have evaluated attached algae systems for the recovery and removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other constituents from domestic wastewater, agricultural runoff, stormwater, and impaired surface waters. These studies demonstrated that ATS systems can be adapted to a broad range of water quality conditions, flow rates, and treatment objectives.
HydroMentia and its project partners have advanced ATS technology from research-scale and pilot-scale systems to full-scale regional treatment facilities. Operating references include stormwater, surface-water restoration, agricultural, and wastewater polishing applications, with projects designed to support nutrient reduction, biomass recovery, and long-term water quality improvement.
This operating history provides a practical foundation for future ATS projects. The technology has been evaluated under real field conditions, including variable flows, seasonal temperature changes, harvesting requirements, solids management, and long-term operations. As a result, ATS systems provide a proven platform for nutrient recovery and water quality treatment where high areal removal rates, reduced land requirements, and operational adaptability are important project goals.
Selected ATS operating and demonstration history showing progression from early research and pilot systems to full-scale municipal facilities.
HydroMentia’s Facilities pages provide examples of full-scale and pilot-scale ATS projects implemented over more than three decades.