The essence of the innovative method is a unique combination of electrochemical processes and advanced mineralization technologies. At the first stage, a special installation with electrodes made of lead dioxide and stainless steel effectively extracts nickel ions, a strategically important metal widely used in various industries. Subsequent treatment with the innovative mineralizer CaAl-900 ensures complete neutralization of the remaining dangerous compounds.

The experimental results exceeded all expectations. The technology demonstrates unprecedented efficiency: 99.8% of nickel is returned to the production cycle, and 99.1% of harmful substances are converted into safe compounds. At the same time, the quality of the purified water fully complies with the strictest environmental standards.

"This study is significant because it offers a new way to solve the problem of chemical nickel plating wastewater treatment. It not only reduces environmental pollution by heavy metals and phosphorus, but also allows the recycling of valuable nickel. In industry, this will help electroplating enterprises meet environmental requirements, save costs through nickel recovery, and contribute to the sustainable development of the industry," emphasizes Vishnu Rajput.

Successful tests at the production facilities of the Chinese company Beijing Keeven Aviation Instrument have confirmed the operability of the method in real industrial conditions. In the study, real wastewater of chemical nickel plating was successfully treated. After electrochemical treatment and superstable mineralization, the total phosphorus and nickel in the effluents met discharge standards.

"This shows that the technology has the potential for practical applications. For full-scale industrial implementation, further large-scale testing is needed to verify the stability and profitability of the method under various production conditions. Cooperation with electroplating companies is also required to optimize the technology for an industrial scale. At the moment, a similar technology has not yet been applied in practice," said Vishnu Rajput, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher at SFedU Academy of biology and biotechnology, head of the International Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology.

The developed purification technology finds application in key sectors of the electroplating industry: automotive, electronics and aerospace industries, where chemical nickel plating processes are actively used. The new method allows efficient treatment of industrial effluents. This solution not only minimizes the environmental footprint of enterprises, but also creates a closed cycle of using valuable metals, returning them to the production process.

This research was made possible thanks to fruitful cooperation between Southern Federal University and Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) within the framework of the current memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of such scientific collaborations.

"We highly appreciate the joint efforts of Professor Guai Zhao from the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Research Engineering, BACH, China. The financial support of the National Science Foundation of China and the innovation program of the Beijing Agrarian University allowed us to bring the project to a qualitatively new level," the SFedU scientists note.

The scientists emphasize that the developed method has significant potential for wider application. Its basic principles can be adapted not only for chemical nickel plating wastewater treatment, but also for other types of industrial wastewater containing phosphorous compounds and heavy metal ions. However, for the successful scaling of the technology, additional research is needed to optimize the process parameters, taking into account the specific composition of wastewater from various industries.

Cooperation with Russian industrial enterprises may become an important stage in the development of the project. With their support, it is possible to carry out the final stages of research, including testing the technology in real production conditions, followed by implementation in specific industries. Such a partnership will make it possible to adapt it to the current needs of the domestic industry, providing economic benefits and reducing the environmental burden. The results of the study are presented in the scientific journal Chemical Engineering Science.

Southern Federal University is a participant of the strategic academic leadership program "Priority 2030" (national project "Youth and Children"). The staff of the D.I. Ivanovsky SFedU Academy of Biology and Biotechnology is actively involved in the implementation of the program, working within the framework of the project "Soil Resource Management Systems".