GRAPHENE’S POTENTIAL FOR INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Peer-reviewed study confirms that Vancouver start-up HydroGraph can remove 100% of six organic dyes from wastewater within 10 minutes

“This work conducted in collaboration with our industrial partner HydroGraphClean Power Inc. found the established sustainable and scalable production of graphene, coupled with its superior adsorption capability and recyclability, represents a viable approach for specialized water purification applications, particularly for the removal of conjugated organic industrial effluents.”

-- Ayomi S.Perera

Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Kingston University London

“Industrial wastewater is one of the biggest pollutants, creating human health risks and threatening the global ecosystem. This new study proves that graphene is extremely effective in removing toxins from industrial organic dyes, and HydroGraph is one of the few companies able to deliver high-quality, reusable graphene for wastewater treatment.”

-- Kjirstin Breure, President and CEO HydroGraph

Kjirstin holds an MSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Arizona State University and has more than ten years’ experience in emerging technologies involving machine learning, data analytics and blockchain. Prior to HydroGraph, she consulted for or held director and executive level positions within the Canadian start-up space, including Theorem Synthetic Intelligence, Omada Technologies and Macht10. Hired as COO and HydroGraph’s first employee, she designed the company’s strategic direction and has managed the advancement of its graphene production since lab scale. As president, Kjirstin manages production, research and development, intellectual property and media. She has also been a member of the board since 2021.

Interview with Kjirstin Breure, President and CEO HydroGraph

By Suzanne Forcese

WT: Kjirstin, please introduce yourself to our viewers giving us a brief bio and a glimpse of the journey that brought you to HydroGraph.

Breure: I am the President & CEO (and Chair) of HydroGraph Clean Power Inc., a Canadian –listed advanced-materials company scaling ultra-pure graphene.

My career has centered on materials science and building high-performance teams that turn lab breakthroughs into real-world products.

As a Co-founder of HydroGraph, I joined to accelerate commercialization bringing a focus on disciplined operations, customer-driven R&D, and U.S. expansion to meet industrial demand for graphene in infrastructure, coatings, composites, and sustainability applications.

WT: HydroGraph has been recognized by the Advanced Carbons Council(the global trade association that supports the production, adoption and use of engineered advanced carbons) According to the Advanced Carbons Council:

The global wastewater treatment market is projected to reach 20.01 billion dollars by 2025 and 28.95 billion dollars by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate of 5.4 percent. Organic dyes are a significant pollutant in local water systems, with wastewater frequently discharged after minimal treatment. This contamination affects ecosystems and can enter the food chain. Conventional dye filtration methods remain costly and difficult to scale.

HydroGraph’s few-layer graphene, produced through its patented chamber explosion process, demonstrated complete removal of dye contaminants through adsorption. The large surface area of the graphene facilitated molecular adherence. The material is also recyclable, cost-effective, and scalable. Recycling trials showed between 97 percent and 100 percent dye removal within 15 to 60 minutes.

Graphene-based purification was found to be more sustainable than coagulation and flocculation techniques due to its lower chemical footprint. It also required less energy than pressure-driven membranes and certain advanced oxidation processes. Furthermore, graphene adsorbents could be regenerated multiple times, reducing waste and long-term costs.

Reflecting on these findings, please comment on the Team talent as well as the ethos that brought the disruptive HydroGraph technology to the forefront.

Breure: I like to think that the ages of man have been defined by the dominant materials used. Proceeded by stone, copper, bronze, iron, steel, plastic and silicon, we are now entering the age of nanotechnology – “the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures, materials and devices.” Leading the HydroGraph team as we produce the first two-dimensional material ever discovered, with our innovative graphene production technology, is amazing.

The Team did not achieve this success overnight. I joined HydroGraph as Chief Operating Officer in 2020 as the first employee, tasked with developing the company strategy and brand, as well as outlining our R&D. Now I am honoured to be working alongside a team of 7 scientists and 13 staff as President & CEO, on a path to commercializing our patented pristine graphene.

Our team blends PhD-level materials scientists, application scientists, and scale-up engineers with operators experienced in quality systems (QMS), defense-grade process control, and industrial commercialization. On the commercial side, we’re laser-focused on partnerships that validate performance at customer sites and translate into scalable supply agreements.

WT: The Advanced Carbons Council has published several articles on graphene-enhanced technologies. It appears not all graphene is what it appears to be. Please elaborate.

Breure: Upon analyzing 60 companies claiming to produce graphene it was found that there is almost no high-quality graphene in the market as defined by the ISO. If it's more than 10 layers, it is graphite. If it is less than 10 layers, it is graphene. Also, the findings report that no company produces over 50% graphene content with the majority producing less than 10%. It is effectively meaning that most of these companies are selling fine graphite or graphite powder.

Because we have a synthetic process, we have almost unlimited production capacity which is of course attractive.

We have absolute control over our production process. Every single time we turn on the reactor, we produce 99.8% pure carbon content graphene.

The carbon content is 99.8 and that tiny amount of oxygen is contributing to our conductivity.

Our most expensive graphene is roughly $800,000 per ton and has additional oxygen. This is not to be considered an impurity. This is a strong benefit with our graphene that we are producing. We have also been tested as pure by numerous third parties and numerous worldwide labs.

WT: What is Ultra-Pure Graphene and how is changing the landscape of nanotechnology?

Breure: Graphene is one atomic layer of carbon atoms. It is the strongest and most conductive material ever discovered. Quite like silicon had really revolutionized the previous century or even oil before that, I really believe graphene will be as pivotal in the coming century.

HydroGraph produces ultra-pure graphene via a patented detonation-synthesis process in our Hyperion reactor. The result is consistent, high-surface-area graphene with tight particle-size distribution critical for performance and repeatability in customer processes.

Graphene is a single (or few) layer sheet of sp²-bonded carbon atoms. It combines extraordinary surface area, mechanical strength, electrical/thermal conductivity, and barrier properties—at extremely low loadings.

How it’s changing nanotech: it lets you engineer surfaces and interfaces rather than re-formulate entire materials. In practice, that means:

• Concrete & cement: strength and durability improvements (often at ≤0.02 wt% loading), with potential cement/clinker reduction and lower embodied CO₂.
• Coatings & inks: conductivity, corrosion and moisture barriers, wear resistance.
• Composites & polymers: better strength-to-weight, impact, and fatigue performance.
• Energy & sensors: high-rate charge storage, thermal management, and functional surfaces.

WT: As reviewed in the study HydroGraph’s ultra-pure graphene was shown to have potential in industrial wastewater treatment. How does the technology work in removing dyes?

Breure: Graphene’s ultra-high surface area and π–π interactions enable rapid adsorption (not absorption) of aromatic dye molecules. Electrostatic interactions and defect/edge sites further enhance uptake. Because our graphene is ultra-pure and well-dispersed, you get fast kinetics, high capacity, and efficient contact with contaminants.

WT: Why is it suitable for pollutants:

Breure: Many industrial organics (textile dyes, some PFAS precursors, pigments) are aromatic or hydrophobic. Graphene’s chemistry and surface morphology make it an exceptional “catcher’s mitt” for these molecules—often at short residence times.

WT:Why is it more sustainable?

Breure: Ultra-pure graphene is more sustainable because:

• Lower chemistry: adsorption can reduce secondary chemicals vs. coagulation/flocculants.
• Regeneration & reuse: adsorbents can be thermally or solvent-regenerated, cutting waste.
• Process efficiency: fast kinetics can shrink equipment footprints and energy per m³ treated.

Cost & scalability:

• Low-cost inputs, modular reactors: our process uses readily available feedstocks and modular Hyperion reactors, enabling distributed capacity near customers.
• Low dosage, high effect: small amounts of high-performance material can displace bulkier, recurring consumables—improving total cost of ownership.

WT: What stage are you currently at? What's next? Are there any pilots scheduled?

Breure: HydroGraph is in the commercial scale-up phase: moving from validated lab and customer trials to larger-volume qualifications and supply agreements.

Near-term focus (next 12–24 months):

• Customer pilots in wastewater
• Process validation and quality documentation (QMS) for high-consistency, repeatable batches.
• Capacity build-out using modular reactors aligned to customer demand.

WT: Are you looking for partners? Investors? Are you looking to expand beyond the Vancouver location?

Breure: Yes—partners (application development, distribution, and end-users) and investors aligned with scaled, industrial adoption. We are expanding beyond Vancouver, with U.S. operations (HQ in Austin, TX; production in the U.S. Gulf region) and active collaborations with U.K./EU research hubs. Our approach is to collocate capacity close to demand (defense and aerospace related industries).

WT: What can you provide for anyone interested in investing /collaborating?

Breure: We can provide:

• Short explainer graphics on adsorption vs. absorption and graphene’s surface interactions.
• Application one-pagers (concrete, coatings, wastewater).

WT: What's your vision moving forward?

Breure: Make graphene an everyday industrial ingredient—reliable, documentable, and economical—so customers can hit performance and sustainability targets without redesigning their entire process. That means:

• Consistent quality at scale,
• Clear ROI at low loadings, and
• Real environmental wins (stronger, lighter, longer-lasting materials; cleaner water; lower energy and chemical footprint

I am confident our commitment to research and development and focus onour product quality will position HydroGraph as the leading global producer of pristine graphene. I look forward to sharing more of our achievements in the months to come.

Related: Peer reviewed paper