ENVOLURE offers innovative eco-analysis services for producers and managers of effluents, wastewater and organic waste, leveraging a combined use of microplates and a fluorescence-based detection system to determine the potential value of waste as well as to evaluate environmental performance.

PRESENTATION

Created by Yves Dudal and Nathalie Pautremat, Envolure is a project of entrepreneurship that focuses on developing simple and rapid tests for diagnosis of environmental performance of waste, water and organic waste. This project promotes two technologies from public research with a patent filed by the laboratory “Climate, Soil and Environment of INRA Avignon. Yves Dudal were interested in dissolved organic matter soils, including those from spraying (sludge treatment plants, agro-industrial effluent or livestock, compost …). In 2001, no chemical analysis were able to identify the molecules present in these highly complex mixtures whose composition varies all the time. Regarding this situation, he had the following idea: rather than measuring molecules present but rather what they can do in the environment, how they react to bacteria, enzymes, pollutants, soil …. With financial support from the department Environment and Agronomy “of INRA, the initial results indicate a potential promising economic recovery. In 2004, a test is developed with three major assets: a microplate format, which allows simultaneous processing of multiple samples, one system of fluorescence detection and short time analysis. The recovery services from INRA and its subsidiary INRA Transfert is mobilized and a patent entitled “Process for determining the biogeochemical reactivity of a sample of aqueous organic matter is deposited in France in 2005, with a European extension, soon the following year. The Envolure solution is based on a unique microplate technique (96 simultaneous operations) offering a wide range of analysis. 

PRODUCT & INNOVATION

The work done by the Envolure team has led to the declination of an offer in two products: 
- The extent of biodegradability of organic mixtures (sewage sludge, compost …) in connection with the BOD5 (Biological Oxygen Demand over 5 days), a technical parameter routinely measured in biological treatments or in connection with the potential to characterize the methane potential energy waste. 
- Measurement of volatile fatty acids (VFA): parameter closely followed in the treatment of anaerobic digestion. 

This innovative eco analysis saves valuable time for the industry which will drive its biological treatment so much fine. For example, while it currently takes between 60 and 90 days for a measurement of potential methane by conventional methods, less than 24 hours will be required to obtain a response with these new measures. For VFA, the response times increase from several days to minutes. 

MARKET 

The market analysis is particularly targeting key players in water sector, businesses that provide treatment of effluent but also to manufacturers of analytical kits-biomedical – interested in learning about the niche of environment. Envolure will soon be able to offer its customers a range of tests or kits to accompany and help to steer and size their biological processes. 

STRATEGY 

Demonstration projects are undertaken to convince the industrial relevance and appropriateness of the proposed analysis. A project specifically on the characterization of effluents from the food industry is currently being assembled, viewed through funding by the Languedoc-Roussillon. If some partners have already identified, the project is open to other manufacturers, including dairy. This is for the companies involved to benefit analysis for 1 year and provide feedback to enable an assessment of the relevance of the proposed eco analysis.

SOURCES

INRA 

Envolure