Abstract:
A method for preparing a class of highly stabilized and soil-dispersible nanoparticles and using the nanoparticles as a remediation technology for immobilizing toxic metals at toxic metal contaminated sites. The method employs a composition containing select polysaccharides (starch or cellulose) as a stabilizer for the nanoparticles in a liquid carrier, and results in suspensions of nanoparticles of desired size and mobility in water, soils or sediments. The stabilizer can facilitate controlling the dispersibility of the nanoparticles in the liquid carrier. An effective amount of the composition is delivered to a contaminated site so that the nanoparticles can immobilize one or more toxic metals of the contaminated site.
Abstract:
The interaction of Sn, Sb and Pb with tungsten in contact with an aqueous medium has a synergistic effect in which the leachability of each metal is suppressed. This means that tungsten has the ability to suppress the leachability of these same metals, in particular lead. For example, tungsten may be added to the lead-contaminated soil in order to suppress lead contamination of the ground water by forming lead tungstate which has a very low solubility.
Abstract:
A process is provided for the recovery of substantially pure zinc from geothermal brine also containing recoverable amounts of lead and silver. The process comprises selectively extracting lead and silver from the brine and then contacting the brine impoverished in lead and silver with a substantially insoluble organic extractant (e.g., an ion exchange resin [IX] or an organic solvent [SX]) selective to the extraction of zinc to produce a spent brine, and a zinc-loaded organic extractant. The zinc-loaded organic extractant is separated from the spent brine and the zinc-loaded extractant is contacted with an aqueous solution to remove the zinc as an aqueous zinc chloride solution. The pH of the zinc solution is adjusted, if necessary, to a level to condition the solution to promote the extraction thereof by a cationic organic solvent. The zinc is then extracted from the zinc-loaded aqueous solution using a cationic organic solvent (SX) or an ion exchange resin (IX) selective to the extraction of zinc, thereby producing a zinc-loaded cationic extractant which is separated from the aqueous solution. The zinc is then stripped from the zinc-loaded cationic extractant using an amount of sulfuric acid by volume sufficient to provide an electrolyte solution containing a concentration of zinc sufficient for the recovery thereof by electrowinning. Thus, the process may comprise an SX-SX, or an IX-SX, or an SX-IX or an IX-IX system.
Abstract:
A system for receiving and crushing whole lead acid storage batteries, and for classifying the components of crushed batteries into lead oxide, lead metal, plastic case components, and rubber case components and other fragments. Whole batteries are crushed into component particles, and lead oxide from the batteries is placed in liquid suspension. The lead oxide is subsequently removed by three separate settling and classifying tanks. Lead metal is removed by a liquid upflow column separation. A flotation tank and surface skimming arrangement separates plastic case fragments from rubber fragments.
Abstract:
A process for recovery of lead values from a material containing lead sulphide and an iron compound by treatment with sulphuric acid in the presence of oxygen and a compound containing Na, K and/or NH4.