Technology brief
What this platform addresses
is a compact zero-discharge system that removes marine mucilage (sea snot) and microplastics from coastal water.
TRL 7 (confirmed by Michael)
Waste Management
ARBOK CleanSea
is a compact zero-discharge system that removes marine mucilage (sea snot) and microplastics from coastal water.
The challenge
The problem this technology addresses
Primary use cases: coastal mucilage-outbreak cleanup (algal blooms, nutrient overload); microplastic-polluted port/industrial zones; desalination-intake biofouling; aquaculture cooling zones.
Industries and users: port authorities, coastal municipalities, marine reserves, desalination operators, fish farms.
Scale: 200 m³/day per module; 14 modules ≈ 1 000 000 m³/year.
ARBOK solution
How the ARBOK system creates value
ARBOK CleanSea is a compact zero-discharge system that removes marine mucilage (sea snot) and microplastics from coastal water. It converts 100 % of intake into useful outputs — fresh water, dry technical salt, organic residue (DOC), and separated microplastics — with no brine and no landfill waste. Shore-installed and modular, it pairs with standard collection gear (booms, skimmers, intake pumps) to respond to mucilage outbreaks and microplastic pollution on-site.
Mucilage-contaminated seawater (with suspended microplastics) is fed into a shore-mounted vacuum unit in a three-stream separation: (1) gelatinous mucilage is skimmed and vacuum-transferred, then dried to an inert, odorless Dry Organic Component (DOC); (2) microplastics are captured to ~100 nm as a dry, chemically neutral polymer powder (sub-100 nm under R&D); (3) water evaporates at low temperature and recondenses as fresh water, with technical salt crystallized out. Both biological (mucilage) and synthetic (microplastic) contaminants are handled in one pass; no pumping/transport beyond intake. Origin context: recurring Sea of Marmara / Türkiye mucilage crises.
Limitations: feed via standard collection gear; module count sets throughput; sub-100 nm microplastics still under R&D.
Market and application
Commercial opportunity
Mucilage outbreaks (e.g., Sea of Marmara) and coastal microplastics are escalating threats to fisheries, tourism, and desalination. Target: Mediterranean and Asian coastal states, ports, and desalination operators.
Example at 1 000 000 m³/year: treatment tariff $5/m³ → $5.0M/yr; salt 35 000 t × $20 = $0.70M; DOC 1 500 t × $100 = $0.15M; total customer payment ≈ $5.85M/yr. Operator energy + OPEX ≈ $0.62–0.74/m³ (~$0.7M/yr); logistics ≈ $0.15M/yr. Net ≈ $5.1 million/yr; break-even under 2 years per site. Commercial model: BOOM (Build-Own-Operate-Maintain) with mandatory product buyback (salt $20/t, DOC $100/t). Deployable in under 8 weeks; initial sites coordinated in Türkiye.
Use cases
Where the technology can be applied
Primary use cases: coastal mucilage-outbreak cleanup (algal blooms, nutrient overload); microplastic-polluted port/industrial zones; desalination-intake biofouling; aquaculture cooling zones.
Industries and users: port authorities, coastal municipalities, marine reserves, desalination operators, fish farms.
Scale: 200 m³/day per module; 14 modules ≈ 1 000 000 m³/year.
Steps: site selection → module deployment → connect collection gear → operate. Shore-based, ambient temperature, single operator per cluster.
Works with existing mucilage-collection equipment; shore power or renewables; SCADA/PLC ready; complements port and desalination infrastructure.
View preserved source description
Overview
ARBOK CleanSea is a compact zero-discharge system that removes marine mucilage (sea snot) and microplastics from coastal water. It converts 100 % of intake into useful outputs — fresh water, dry technical salt, organic residue (DOC), and separated microplastics — with no brine and no landfill waste. Shore-installed and modular, it pairs with standard collection gear (booms, skimmers, intake pumps) to respond to mucilage outbreaks and microplastic pollution on-site.
Applications
Primary use cases: coastal mucilage-outbreak cleanup (algal blooms, nutrient overload); microplastic-polluted port/industrial zones; desalination-intake biofouling; aquaculture cooling zones.
Industries and users: port authorities, coastal municipalities, marine reserves, desalination operators, fish farms.
Scale: 200 m³/day per module; 14 modules ≈ 1 000 000 m³/year.
Operating Principle
Mucilage-contaminated seawater (with suspended microplastics) is fed into a shore-mounted vacuum unit in a three-stream separation: (1) gelatinous mucilage is skimmed and vacuum-transferred, then dried to an inert, odorless Dry Organic Component (DOC); (2) microplastics are captured to ~100 nm as a dry, chemically neutral polymer powder (sub-100 nm under R&D); (3) water evaporates at low temperature and recondenses as fresh water, with technical salt crystallized out. Both biological (mucilage) and synthetic (microplastic) contaminants are handled in one pass; no pumping/transport beyond intake. Origin context: recurring Sea of Marmara / Türkiye mucilage crises.
Limitations: feed via standard collection gear; module count sets throughput; sub-100 nm microplastics still under R&D.
Key Parameters
Unit capacity: 200 m³/day; footprint 9–10 m²; truck- or container-mounted.
Energy: 1–2 kWh/m³.
Outputs: fresh water (potable/technical); salt ~35 kg/m³; DOC ~1.5 kg/m³; separated microplastics.
Architecture and Components
Shore intake (booms/skimmers/pumps); vacuum phase-separation module (vertical); condensation/fresh-water unit; salt + DOC + microplastic extraction; PLC/automation. Modular, scalable by adding 200 m³/day units.
Advantages
Technical: handles biological + synthetic contaminants together; 100 % intake conversion; no brine, no landfill.
Economic: outputs have commercial value (salt, organics); see economics below.
Environmental: protects reefs, fisheries, and oxygen levels; removes microplastics from the food web.
Strategic: rapid mobile response to mucilage outbreaks; protects desalination and aquaculture assets.
Integrations
Works with existing mucilage-collection equipment; shore power or renewables; SCADA/PLC ready; complements port and desalination infrastructure.
Deployment & Operation
Steps: site selection → module deployment → connect collection gear → operate. Shore-based, ambient temperature, single operator per cluster.
TRL
TRL 7 (confirmed by Michael). Pilot module developed and tested in a relevant marine environment; full-scale architecture and BOOM contracting finalized; initial Türkiye deployment sites coordinated. Remaining to 8–9: operating reference site.
Market Potential
Mucilage outbreaks (e.g., Sea of Marmara) and coastal microplastics are escalating threats to fisheries, tourism, and desalination. Target: Mediterranean and Asian coastal states, ports, and desalination operators.
Typical Project Economics
Example at 1 000 000 m³/year: treatment tariff $5/m³ → $5.0M/yr; salt 35 000 t × $20 = $0.70M; DOC 1 500 t × $100 = $0.15M; total customer payment ≈ $5.85M/yr. Operator energy + OPEX ≈ $0.62–0.74/m³ (~$0.7M/yr); logistics ≈ $0.15M/yr. Net ≈ $5.1 million/yr; break-even under 2 years per site. Commercial model: BOOM (Build-Own-Operate-Maintain) with mandatory product buyback (salt $20/t, DOC $100/t). Deployable in under 8 weeks; initial sites coordinated in Türkiye.
Risk Factors
Outbreak-driven (seasonal) demand; offtake for salt/DOC/microplastics; conservative coastal authorities; needs documented pilot reference.
Related Technologies
ARBOK-SARGASSUM · ARBOK-Port-Sludge-Cleanup · Jellyfish Shield · ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking)
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