While public debate in many areas revolves around artificial intelligence (AI), another form of intelligence is becoming increasingly important: bio-intelligence (BI). When it comes to overcoming the global water crisis, nature itself offers the best solutions. Instead of continuing to rely on chemical water treatment approaches that create new environmental problems, industry should increasingly look to biological processes that are sustainable, efficient and economically advantageous.

One company that is driving precisely this paradigm shift is Blue Activity. The clean watertech company has developed an innovative technology that revolutionizes industrial water cycles. The key difference to conventional processes lies in the method: functional microorganisms and biopolymers completely replace the usual chemical treatment of water. This not only drastically reduces environmental pollution, but also lowers operating costs in the long term.

“Industrial water use is one of the biggest levers for climate protection – and yet the majority of companies still rely on toxic chemicals. We are proving that there is another way: more efficient, cheaper and, above all, in harmony with nature.”

Challenges of Industrial Water Use

Energy-intensive production processes in the chemical industry place increased demands on heat transfer. To this end, evaporation cooling systems are used that efficiently circulate the cooling water and thus contribute significantly to production reliability and plant availability. The largest consumers can be found in the chemical, steel, glass, energy and automotive industries, where huge amounts of water flow through cooling systems.

Traditional methods of industrial water treatment rely on chemical biocides to combat microorganisms in the water and to prevent deposits and corrosion in the systems. However, this leads to significant environmental pollution:

• Three quarters of industrial water is used for cooling processes. In many production plants, this consumption is the dominant source of water.
• A large proportion of this water is treated with chemical biocides. These substances prevent the growth of bacteria and algae, but cause significant ecological problems.
• Every year, around 1.6 million tons of toxic biocides are released into the environment. These chemical substances accumulate in water and are difficult or impossible for many wastewater treatment plants to remove.

The consequences are serious: water resources are damaged in the long term, drinking water supplies and biodiversity suffer, and companies are under increasing regulatory pressure to implement more environmentally friendly solutions.

A Sustainable Alternative to Chemical Water Treatment

Blue Activity has developed an approach that completely replaces conventional chemical water treatment. The technology is based on natural microorganisms that are used to keep the water in a biological equilibrium. These microorganisms enable efficient cleaning of the facilities – without harmful side effects.

In addition, biopolymers made from renewable raw materials are used. These replace the conventional petroleum-based inhibitors that are used to prevent corrosion and deposits. The combination of functional microorganisms and biopolymers offers a sustainable and highly effective solution for industrial cooling circuits.

The advantages of this method are extensive:

• Pollutants are no longer a problem, as no biocides or other toxic substances are used.
• Water use is made much more efficient, so that the total water requirement in production plants can be reduced by up to 38 %.
• Operating costs are reduced in the long term, as less water is used and maintenance of the facilities is reduced. Companies report savings of up to 29 %.

The first applications of this innovative method are showing impressive results. By using Blue Activity in various industrial plants, approximately 700,000 cubic meters of water and 160 tons of biocides have already been saved.

“Our solution is more than just an alternative – it sets a new standard. Companies that switch today not only secure economic advantages, but also regulatory certainty and real environmental impact.”

 

BASF, Braskem and other companies rely on bio-intelligence

The use of the technology by well-known industrial companies shows that biocide-free water treatment has proven itself in practice.

One of the pioneers is BASF, one of the world's leading chemical companies. The company has switched to the sustainable solution from Blue Activity at several of its production sites. The results are clear: BASF has been able to completely eliminate the use of water chemicals without any negative impact on the cooling capacity or efficiency of the plants.

The Brazilian chemical company Braskem, known worldwide for the production of plastics, is also using Blue Activity for biocide-free water treatment.

Not only existing customers, but also other companies are addressing the protection of water as a valuable resource. Dow Chemical is pursuing a sustainable strategy to reduce water consumption at its plants. At its plant in Böhlen, Saxony, the US chemical company is developing a natural treatment plant for rainwater. This will save a large amount of industrial fresh water in the long term.

The future of industrial water use

Industry is at a turning point. While many companies continue to rely on chemical processes for water treatment, Blue Activity shows that a sustainable and economically viable alternative already exists.

On World Water Day 2025, March 21, it is once again clear that protecting the world's water resources is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Companies that choose sustainable water use at an early stage not only benefit from long-term cost savings, but also make a decisive contribution to protecting the environment and meeting ESG and CSRD requirements.

The future of industrial water management no longer lies in chemical control, but in biological intelligence.

Lars Havighorst, CEO, Blue Activity

More information at: www.blueactivity.de

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About the Author

Lars Havighorst is the founder and CEO of Blue Activity and is responsible for business development, partner management, finance and marketing. He completed his BBA at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences with a specialization in finance and sales. After graduating, he initially worked in financial consulting for more than 13 years before he began to focus intensively on the topic of water in the industry in 2018 and finally founded Blue Activity together with his co-founder Michael Simon at the beginning of 2021.