Aclarity

Aclarity is a Massachusetts-based, female-founded company that uses an on-site electrochemical oxidation system to destroy per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS; a man-made liquid repellent chemical), contaminants, ammonia, and nitrogen in landfill or centralized waste treatment facilities. The company's product can also be applied to industrial sectors such as feedwater or wastewater in laundry, pulp and paper, automotive, municipal potable water facilities, and aviation sites.

The company claims to have developed the world's first emerging contaminant PFAS destruction technology deployed in a full-scale system. The PFAS Destruction Technology works by absorbing PFAS onto the anode surface first. Then, the free electrons break the carbon-fluorine bonds, resulting in the production of CO2, hydrogen fluoride (HF), and fluoride ion (F-). Finally, oxidant radicals are generated through an electrochemical process, permanently destroying the PFAS. The company claims that its technology helps customers create a new revenue stream, mitigate risks, eliminate off-site trucking, reduce labor and maintenance costs, and stay ahead of the competition.

In January 2023, the company destroyed PFAS chemicals at a customer's site, demonstrating the technology's capability to destroy PFAS contaminants at full-scale capacity for large operations. Third-party lab results confirmed that Aclarity destroyed PFAS compounds at levels of greater than 1,000 ng/L to below 10 ng/L. The equipment operated continuously for four weeks using very little energy, less than 100 Watt-hr/gallon.

Key customers and partnerships

In December 2022, Aclarity and De Nora, an Italian multinational company specializing in electrochemistry, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to combine Aclarity's PFAS destruction technology with the De Nora SORB FX product line to eliminate PFAS quickly and safely in ground water. The company also plans for several permanent installations in 2023 and is working to evaluate complementary concentration technology providers to expand into drinking water and groundwater remediation.

Funding and financials

In November 2023 , Alacrity raised USD 15.9 million in Series A funding, led by Aqualateral, to facilitate a new phase of commercial expansion and innovation. 

Previously, in April 2022, Aclarity raised USD 3.3 million in seed financing round to double the size of its team to 13 employees and complete two long-term pilots at customer sites and develop a model for a 2023 pilot.