Slovenian innovator Hakim El Khiar, from the company AQUA LAB doo, has developed a system for detecting microplastics in water, which greatly simplifies the detection and analysis of microplastics, as it can determine whether microplastics are present in the water already on the ground and in just a few minutes.

The device isolates the indicator fibers on a special disc. The built-in microscope and IR camera make an image from which it can be seen if the fibers are in the water. The device sends photos via the Internet to the laboratory and, at the moment of monitoring, marks the location via the built-in GPS.

It stores the data in a remote computer, which creates a map of the state of microplastic pollution in nature. This represents a tremendous gain in terms of enormous cost and time reduction in monitoring laboratories.

The company AQUA LAB, together with the National Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials from Italy, tested the detection of microfibers in drinking water in Slovenia and concluded that microfibers or plastic fragments present in all analyzed drinking water samples.

By detecting and creating a map of water pollution with microplastics, it will be possible to obtain extremely precise data. This data will be used to create suitable filtration systems that will remove microplastics from pollution sources.

In this way, it will be possible to solve an extremely large problem of today's time in the long term. The MDS device will help to significantly reduce microplastics in the environment, which today represents one of the biggest macroproblems.

Hakim El Khiar has been dealing with filtration systems for drinking water since 1996. It assembles various filters to solve various problems related to drinking water. It deals with the development, production of prototypes and industrialization of filtration systems. He developed systems for preparing drinking water in emergency situations. He specialized in the recycling of waste water from various industrial applications. His innovations have also been awarded several times by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce:

• https://manager.finance.si/8943862/Okoljske-nagrade
• https://oe.finance.si/8940803/Iskrina-naprava-ki-brez-kemikalij-mocno-onesnazeno-vodo-naredi-pitno
• https://oe.finance.si/8954564/Za-ciscenje-plovil-ne-bodo-vec-potrebovali-pitne-vode;
• https://www.finance.si/8980740/Vas-zanima-koliko-bi-lahko-hotel-s-50-sobami-prihranil-z-reciklazo-vode
• https://agrobiznis.finance.si/8976980/Tako-so-v-mlekarni-Planika-iz-Kobarida-resili-tezave-z-odpadno-sirotko
• https://agrobiznis.finance.si/8984227/Spoznajte-zmagovalce-natecaja-Agrobiznis-hi-tech;
• https://oe.finance.si/9005122/To-so-naj-okoljsko-poslovni-dosezki-slovenskega-gospodarstva
• https://www.gzs.si/oz_za_severno_primorsko/Novice/ArticleID/83473/nagrade-za-najbolse-inovacije-podelili-tudi-severnoprimorskim-inovatorjem
• Recycling Waste Water from the Dairy Industry
• Microplastic Detection System (MDS)

He is also the co-author of several papers and a book on the removal of microplastics with membrane technology:

• Mobile system for drinking water preparation. Final report at the end of the project Technology for Security and Peace. [COBISS.SI-ID - 3681486].
• De Falco, F., Di Pace, E., Avella, M., Gentile, G., Errico, ME, Krzan, A., El Khiar, H., Zupan, M. Cocca, M. (2021). Development and Performance Evaluation of a Filtration System for Washing Machines to Reduce Microfiber Release in Wastewater. Water Air Soil Pollut (2021) 232: 406. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11270-021-05342-6
• Roš, M., Rihter Pikl, J., El Khiar, H. and Uranjek, N. (2021). Microplastics removal and wastewater recycling with membranes & ozone technology. Generis Publishing, co. 2021. ISBN - 978-1-63902-821-4. [COBISS.SI-ID - 91033603].
• Volgare, M., Avolio, R., Castaldo, R., Errico, ME, El Khiar, H., Gentile, G., Sinjur, A., Susnik, D., Znidarsic, A., Cocca, M. ( 2022). Microfiber Contamination in Drinking Water: Detection and Mitigation Using a Filtering Device. Special Issue "Microplastics in Marine Environment". PDF Version: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8929/1/3/24/pdf

Some of its products are also INTERNATIONALLY PATENTED:

• Uninterrupted water filtering system with automatic filter cleansing - TWE
• Device for an uninterrupted water filtration process with an automatic filter
• Transportable device for gravity filtering water
• Device and method for filtering water
• Transportable device for purifying water in multiple stages
• Device for filtering water

He currently collaborates with the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (National Research Council of Italy), the National Institute of Chemistry, the University of Maribor, the non-profit organization Venice Lagoon Plastic Free... He also collaborated with The Ministry of Defense, various municipalities, the United Nations, NATO, Iskra, PlanetCare, Planika Kobarid Dairy, Speed ​​Queen Germany and many others.

Hyper Filter is a trademark of the company Lea Grlj s.p..