ECT Broadens Flash Joule Heating Licence to Target PFAS in Water Treatment Media

Licence Expansion and Technology Overview

Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ECT) has announced an expansion of its licence agreement with William Marsh Rice University, granting the company rights to apply Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology to PFAS-contaminated adsorbents such as granular activated carbon (GAC). This development extends ECT’s existing PFAS remediation strategy, which previously focused on soil treatment using its Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation (REM) platform.

The expanded licence builds on intellectual property developed under Professor James Tour, the inventor of FJH, and represents a complementary extension of ECT’s licensed technology base. The company’s Chief Technology Officer, Justin Sharp, highlighted that the same core FJH system used for ex-situ soil remediation will be adapted for on-site destruction of PFAS in water treatment media.

Addressing PFAS in Water Treatment Adsorbents

Granular activated carbon is widely used in water treatment systems to adsorb PFAS contaminants. However, once saturated, PFAS-laden GAC becomes hazardous waste typically transported off-site for incineration. This process is energy-intensive and carries risks of PFAS release during transport and combustion.

ECT’s approach aims to enable on-site mineralisation of PFAS captured on GAC, potentially reducing secondary waste and environmental risks associated with current disposal methods. The company’s technical evaluation identified limitations in incumbent destruction pathways, including high energy consumption and the generation of hazardous gases.

Flash Joule Heating Technology and Performance

FJH applies a high-power electrical current through carbon-based materials, rapidly increasing temperatures to nearly 3,000°C within seconds. Under controlled laboratory conditions, peer-reviewed research indicates FJH can achieve over 99.9% PFAS removal from contaminated carbon media, converting 90–96% of fluorine into stable inorganic fluoride salts with minimal volatile by-products.

Additionally, the process can transform spent carbon media into higher-value carbon products such as graphene, graphite, and silicon carbide nanomaterials, depending on treatment conditions. This potential value recovery may offer economic benefits alongside environmental remediation.

Licence Terms and Next Steps

The licence amendment includes a one-off fee of $10,000 payable to Rice University, an increase in the annual maintenance fee from US$10,000 to US$12,500, and a milestone fee adjustment tied to gross sales under the licence. ECT plans to advance development and validation of its on-site PFAS destruction system targeting spent GAC, with the objective of progressing toward pilot-scale deployment, subject to technical and regulatory validation.

In a broader market context, tightening international regulations on PFAS contamination are driving demand for scalable and verifiable destruction technologies. ECT’s expanded FJH platform positions the company to address both soil and water treatment applications, potentially filling a gap in current PFAS remediation solutions.

This announcement follows recent strategic developments by ECT, including the acquisition of Terrajoule Pty Ltd and progress in REM technology for soil remediation, as reported earlier this year.