Cannon Artes achieves 99.99% hexavalent chromium removal with a scalable wastewater treatment solution for complex industrial applications.
June 16, 2026
Cannon Artes has developed and validated a highly efficient physico-chemical process for treating wastewater generated by FGD (Flue Gas Desulfurization) systems for a plant in the United Arab Emirates, achieving a 99.99% reduction of hexavalent chromium. The process, developed through a dedicated experimental campaign, was designed to be scalable and potentially transferable to other industrial sectors marked by the presence of heavy metals.
The project originated from the need to treat a particularly complex wastewater stream typical of FGD systems, characterized by dissolved heavy metals and significant ionic variability. The target contaminant is hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), a highly soluble and toxic type that requires extremely efficient and carefully controlled removal processes.
To address this challenge, the Cannon Artes Research & Development Department launched an investigational campaign aimed at optimizing process parameters and enabling the transfer of results to industrial scale. Various technologies are available for chromium removal from contaminated sites, including chemical treatment, adsorption, oxidation-precipitation systems, and redox reactions, which are currently among the most widely adopted industrial solutions. The approach developed by Cannon Artes is based on a three-stage physico-chemical treatment sequence.
The process begins by converting hexavalent chromium into trivalent chromium (Cr III), an insoluble form that can be easily separated from the wastewater through precipitation. Once the optimal reduction conditions were identified, the treatment was completed through coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation stages. Laboratory tests replicated real plant conditions using a complex aqueous matrix enriched with dissolved salts.
The experimental activities enabled the optimization of chemical reagent dosages, reaction times, and sludge management, while ensuring process stability under conditions representative of actual industrial wastewater.
The result is a highly efficient integrated treatment process, validated at laboratory scale and ready for industrial scale-up. The project further demonstrates Cannon Artes’ ability to develop tailored engineering solutions for complex industrial applications with significant environmental impact.
With a chromium removal efficiency of 99.99%, the technology represents a solution with potential applications across a wide range of industries that generate wastewater containing heavy metals, including the chemical, electroplating, textile, cement, and metallurgical sectors.
