An Interview with Tommaso Dragani, CSO of ASPIDIA
Blue Subsurface (BS): Tommaso, you spent decades at the National Cancer Institute in Milan, mapping the genetic precursors to tumors. Now, you’re leading Aspidia to fight PFAS. To many, that feels like a jump from medicine to infrastructure. How do you see the connection?
Tommaso Dragani (TD): It’s actually the same fight. My entire career has been spent studying how toxins interact with human biology at a molecular level. PFAS aren't just an "environmental" problem; they are a biological disruptor. At Aspidia, we realized that the world was trying to solve a molecular problem with 20th-century plumbing—filters and carbon. You can’t "filter" your way out of a 12,000-compound crisis. You have to destroy the bond. We are bringing the precision of biotech to the blunt world of water remediation.
Tommaso Dragani presenting Aspidia' technology at Encubator
BS: You’ve been vocal about the "blanket ban" approach in Europe, arguing it might be "policy over science." Why is that a controversial take for a remediation founder?
TD: Because nuance is the enemy of a headline, but it’s the friend of a solution. If we ban all 12,000+ PFAS compounds tomorrow, we lose the fluoropolymers essential for green hydrogen, semiconductors, and life-saving medical devices. My argument is that we need Precision Regulation. We must phase out the dispersive, "leaky" PFAS in cosmetics and packaging immediately. But for the essential ones, we need a "closed-loop" lifecycle where Aspidia’s technology destroys the waste at the source.
BS: Let’s talk about that "destruction." Everyone uses Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) or Ion Exchange. Aspidia’s flagship is the TriClean system and engineered enzymes. How does it work?
TD: GAC and Ion Exchange are like sponges. They soak up the PFAS, but then you’re left with a "toxic sponge" that you have to bury or burn—which often just spreads the chemicals elsewhere.
Aspidia is moving toward Enzymatic Degradation. We use in-silico modeling and AI to design custom enzymes—specifically engineered DEHA enzymes—that act like molecular scissors. They cleave the carbon-fluorine bond, which is the strongest bond in organic chemistry.
BS: You’re essentially "digesting" the chemicals?
TD: Exactly. Our goal is complete mineralization: turning a toxic "forever chemical" into harmless byproducts like fluoride ions, water, and $CO_2$. Once operational, our bioremediation column, with DEHA enzymes immobilized on solid support, will initiate PFAS degradation. The process is then completed by our TriClean system, a standalone modular unit that breaks and mineralizes PFAS through cavitation synergistically coupled with a low-cost oxidant, with any residuals captured by adsorption columns. TriClean is ready for deployment pending funding, and the bioremediation column can be added upstream to further reduce remediation costs. Designed as a plug-and-play solution, TriClean integrates seamlessly into existing municipal and industrial treatment plants.
BS: Aspidia is currently looking for investors. The PFAS remediation market is projected to be worth tens of billions, but it's crowded. What is your pitch to a VC or an industrial partner?
TD: The "Liability Era" is ending, and the "Destruction Era" is beginning. Regulations like CERCLA in the US and the new EU Drinking Water Directives are making it legally and financially impossible to just "store" PFAS waste.
Aspidia’s value is Scalable Efficiency. Because we use biological catalysts (enzymes) that operate at mild temperatures and pressures, our energy footprint is significantly lower than thermal destruction (incineration). Through our integrated bioremediation and TriClean platform, we aren't just selling a filter; we are selling the end of the liability. For an investor, we are the "Exit Strategy" for the PFAS problem, with TriClean providing the final destruction and mineralization step.
BS: What keeps you up at night regarding the current state of the industry?
TD: The "displacement" of waste. I see companies claiming they’ve "treated" millions of gallons of water, but they’ve really just moved the PFAS from the water into a landfill. It’s a ticking time bomb for the next generation. At Aspidia, our mission is "Molecular Integrity." If it isn't destroyed, it isn't solved.
BS: Finally, what’s next? Where will Aspidia be in five years?
TD: We want to see TriClean units at every major industrial discharge point in Europe and North America. We are expanding the deployment of our integrated TriClean and DEHA bioremediation columns to address PFAS and other priority contaminants at scale. We are moving from the lab to the landscape, with modular, plug-and-play systems designed for rapid industrial and municipal integration.
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