Sapropel is a valuable organic material formed from the long-term accumulation of aquatic biomass, microorganisms, and fine mineral matter in freshwater environments. Rich in humic substances, organic carbon, and trace nutrients, sapropel is widely used as an organic fertilizer, soil conditioner, and soil remediation input. Traditionally, sapropel is dredged from lake beds, a process that is geographically limited, environmentally disruptive, and difficult to scale.

Aqua Fission enables a modern, controlled pathway for sapropel production by recovering and concentrating organic-rich solids from contaminated or nutrient-dense water streams while simultaneously producing clean water.

A controlled alternative to dredging

Conventional sapropel extraction relies on physical removal of lake sediments that have accumulated over centuries. This approach disturbs ecosystems, requires extensive permitting, and depends entirely on natural deposition rates.

Aqua Fission replaces uncontrolled natural accumulation with an engineered process. By treating water streams rich in organic matter, fine particulates, and biological residues, the system separates clean water from dissolved and suspended constituents, allowing organic solids to be concentrated, stabilized, and recovered as a sapropel-like material under controlled conditions.

How Aqua Fission enables sapropel formation

Aqua Fission uses deep-vacuum, low-temperature thermodynamic distillation to separate water from non-volatile constituents. During this process:

• Water is recovered as vapor and condensed into clean, low-mineral water
• Organic matter, bio-solids, fine minerals, and nutrients remain in the residual concentrate
• Repeated concentration and stabilization steps allow organic-rich solids to accumulate

When feedwater contains appropriate organic inputs, such as algae-rich water, eutrophic lake water, agricultural runoff, biogas digestate water, food-processing wastewater, or certain municipal and industrial water streams, the residual output can develop characteristics consistent with sapropel.

This includes high organic content, humic and fulvic acids, and a stable fine-grained structure suitable for soil applications.

Feedwater sources suitable for sapropel production

Aqua Fission can be applied to a range of water sources that naturally contain or generate sapropel-forming constituents, including:

• Eutrophic freshwater bodies with high biological productivity
• Algae-rich surface water and reservoir water
• Agricultural drainage and nutrient-laden runoff
• Biogas and anaerobic digestion process water
• Food, beverage, and fermentation wastewater
• Municipal water streams with high organic load

By converting these water streams into clean water and a recoverable organic concentrate, Aqua Fission turns a water treatment challenge into a resource opportunity.

Environmental and agricultural benefits

Producing sapropel through Aqua Fission offers multiple environmental and economic advantages:

• Eliminates the need for lake dredging and associated ecosystem damage
• Recovers organic material that would otherwise contribute to eutrophication
• Supports circular economy models by converting waste streams into agricultural inputs
• Produces a slow-release, humic-rich soil amendment suitable for organic farming
• Improves soil structure, moisture retention, and microbial activity

Because the process is controlled, the recovered material can be tested, stabilized, and standardized to meet agricultural and regulatory requirements before use.

Water recovery and resource efficiency

Unlike traditional sapropel extraction, Aqua Fission simultaneously produces clean water suitable for reuse in irrigation, agriculture, or industrial processes. This dual-output model aligns with water scarcity mitigation and sustainable resource management goals.

The system operates without membranes or chemical additives and can be configured as a zero-liquid-discharge platform, minimizing environmental footprint while maximizing material recovery.

Applications and integration

Aqua Fission-based sapropel production can be deployed as:

• A standalone resource recovery system
• An add-on to agricultural, biogas, or wastewater treatment facilities
• Part of lake restoration or eutrophication control projects
• A circular input stream for organic fertilizer and soil amendment production

Modular, skid-mounted configurations allow systems to scale from pilot projects to regional production facilities.

A circular approach to water and soil health

By enabling sapropel production from nutrient-rich water streams, Aqua Fission connects water treatment, environmental restoration, and agriculture into a single, circular system. Clean water is recovered, excess nutrients and organic matter are removed from sensitive ecosystems, and valuable soil inputs are created without destructive extraction practices.