Copper Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) is a critical step in integrated circuit (IC) device manufacturing. CMP and post-CMP cleaning processes account for 30-40% of the water consumed by IC manufacturers and produce large quantities of wastewater. CMP streams contain a mixture of organics, copper, and silica or alumina nanoparticles. The silica or alumina nanoparticles are difficult to remove and their presence limits the performance of many treatment schemes.

This study explores the possibility of water reuse in semiconductor and biotechnology industries. Water purity and wastewater minimization is of importance to both industries. Thus, there is a need to develop a rapid and efficient treatment system that can be sustained. Two types of mass exchangers will be compared and optimized for treatment of CMP waste: low-efficiency filtration and high-efficiency (membrane/molecular) filtration. The mass exchangers separate particulates from the water before biotreatment. Two different bacteria are studying to remove copper and organics from Cu-CMP waste.