October 2025 marks an important milestone for the EU-funded ToDrinQ project, as project partner CEBEDEAU successfully launched the lab-scale pilot of its innovative water filtration process.
Since going live, CEBEDEAU has been testing the OptiMaxx 30/30, a benchtop filtration device compatible with hollow fiber membranes. The system is equipped with integrated sensors that enable full control over pressure and flow, while also offering advanced automation capabilities. This setup provides a robust and flexible platform for optimising filtration processes under controlled laboratory conditions.
Optimising water sample concentration for pathogen detection
The primary objective of this phase is to optimise and customise the OptiMaxx flow process design to efficiently concentrate water samples and enable the identification of indicator bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, which are often present in water at very low concentrations.
By fine-tuning filtration parameters and process “recipes”, the ToDrinQ team aims to improve the reliability and sensitivity of bacterial detection methods across different water matrices.
A scalable and flexible solution for water monitoring
The outcome of this work is a tailored filtration device and process recipe designed specifically for water sample analysis. The solution is:
- Scalable from laboratory to larger applications
- (Semi-)automated, reducing manual handling and variability
- Membrane-supplier independent, ensuring flexibility and future-proofing
- Applicable to different water matrices and bacterial targets
This flexibility is essential for supporting diverse monitoring needs across the drinking water supply chain.
The next phase of the project will focus on testing the filtration device using samples from the drinking water supply chain, covering the full pathway from source to tap at the ToDrinQ demonstration sites. These tests will further validate the system’s performance under real-world conditions and bring the project one step closer to deployment-ready solutions.
