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Method for removing heavy metals using an adsorbent

a heavy metal and adsorbent technology, applied in the field of heavy metal removal, can solve the problems of high levels of heavy metals, arsenic, lead, selenium, etc., and achieve the effects of reducing the risk of contamination

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-03-17
CALGON CARBON
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for making a carbon adsorbent that can remove heavy metals from the environment. The adsorbent contains a carbon material and an oxygen-containing compound of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and aluminum. The oxygen-containing compound can be incorporated into the carbon material by impregnating or dispersing a compound of the metal in the carbon material. The carbon adsorbent can be produced by pulverizing a carbon material, a binder, and a compound of the metal, and then shaping and crushing the mixture. The carbon adsorbent can also be made by gasifying the metal-containing material. The method can be used to remove heavy metals from liquid or gas media, such as drinking water. The technical effect of the invention is to provide an effective way to remove heavy metals from the environment.

Problems solved by technology

It has been known that many heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, and selenium, are toxic to humans even at low levels.
However, in some parts of the world, high levels of heavy metals, such as arsenic, exist naturally in underground water sources because of natural occurrence of these metals in rock formations.
Over exposure to selenium has been shown to have undesired effects on the nervous system and to contribute to the cause dyspnea, bronchitis, and gastrointestinal disturbance.
However, the efficiency of this process decreases sharply at low or high pHs.
Moreover, the coagulant containing arsenic must be filtered, resulting in additional costs.
Lime softening techniques have been shown to be effective at pH levels greater than about 10.5; and, therefore, is not likely to be applicable in drinking water applications.
However, adsorption of arsenic on alumina is seriously compromised when other ions are present, such as selenium, fluoride, chloride, and sulfate.
The adsorption process using ion exchange adsorbents can remove arsenic, but sulfate, total dissolved solids (“TDS”), selenium, fluoride, and nitrate also compete with arsenic for the ion exchange capacity, thus decreasing likely effectiveness.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0017] Preparation of an Iron-Impregnated Carbon Adsorbent:

[0018] 4.6 ml of an aqueous ferric chloride solution (having a concentration of 100g ferric chloride in 40 ml water) was diluted with 40.3 g of deionized water. This solution was poured slowly into 50.0 g of oven-dried 12×30 mesh (U.S. sieve series) coconut shell-based PCB™ activated carbon (Calgon Carbon Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.) contained in a pyrex glass dish. PCB™ activated carbon has a BET surface area of about 1050 m2 / g and a micropore volume of about 60 cm3 / 100 g. The impregnated carbon was stirred thoroughly while the solution was being poured into the carbon. The wet impregnated carbon was dried in an oven at 105° C. for 2 hours based on the amount of ferric chloride solution used for the impregnation. The dried impregnated carbon had an iron content of about 7.9% by weight of the carbon. The dried impregnated carbon was taken out of the oven and cooled down in a hood. A KOH solution was prepared by dissolving ...

example 2

[0024] The same oven-dried PCB™ carbon was impregnated with ferric chloride to achieve a ferric ion loading of about 15.8% by weight of the carbon using the same manufacturing method as in Example 1. An arsenic solution having a targeted concentration of about 1 part per million (“ppm”) was prepared from the arsenic trioxide standard solution as above. The results of this experiment are shown in Table 2. This carbon could remove a very high level of arsenic (841 ppb) to less than detection limit with only a small dose of the carbon.

TABLE 2AmountpHof CarbonResidual As(measured withBottle NumberAdsorbent (g)Concentration (ppb)pH meter)3246-18M08416.43246-18O0.506.33246-18Q2.50No data

example 3

[0025] Preparation of Iron (II) Impregnated Carbon Adsorbent:

[0026] An iron (II) impregnated activated carbon was prepared similarly to the process disclosed in Example 1, except a ferrous chloride solution was prepared for impregnation, instead of ferric chloride. 1.778 g of FeCl2.4H2O was dissolved into 40.0 g of deionized water. The ferrous chloride solution was impregnated into 50.0 g of oven-dried 12×30 mesh PCB™ activated carbon. The dried impregnated carbon had a nominal iron (II) loading of about 1% by weight. The dried impregnated carbon was reacted with a KOH solution consisting essentially of 1.27 g of KOH pellet dissolved in 70.16 g of deionized water. The washed and dried impregnated carbon was pulverized as above and labeled as “3224-32-1” for testing.

[0027] Testing for Arsenic Removal:

[0028] The arsenic solution and the method of testing were similar to those disclosed in Example 1. The results of the testing are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3Amount ofpH (measuredCarbo...

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Abstract

A method is presented for removing heavy metal anions from a fluid or gas medium containing metal anions. The method includes providing an adsorbent having deposited therein at least one oxygen-containing compound of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and aluminum; and contacting a portion of the medium with the adsorbent. The oxygen-containing compound may be incorporated into the carbon by impregnation or dispersion of a suitable precursor of such a compound. The precursor may be further treated to yield the oxygen-containing compound. Such adsorbents are particularly useful for removing arsenic and / or selenium from the environment and may be used in treating drinking water sources.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE [0001] This application is a divisional of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 940,178 (Attorney Docket Number 01-159) filed on Aug. 27, 2001.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to methods for removing heavy metals from a medium adjacent thereto. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for removing arsenic and / or selenium from medium adjacent to it using an adsorbent containing at least one oxygen-containing compound. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] It has been known that many heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, and selenium, are toxic to humans even at low levels. One cause for the presence of these heavy metals in the environment has been increasing industrial activities in the recent past. However, in some parts of the world, high levels of heavy metals, such as arsenic, exist naturally in underground water sources because of natural occurrence of these metals in rock formations. Recent epidemiological studies on ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B01D53/64B01J20/02B01J20/06B01J20/08B01J20/18B01J20/20B01J20/32C02F1/28
CPCB01D53/64B01J20/28045B01D2257/60B01J20/02B01J20/0229B01J20/0237B01J20/06B01J20/08B01J20/186B01J20/20B01J20/3028B01J20/3035B01J20/3042B01J20/3234B01J20/3236C02F1/281C02F1/283C02F1/288C02F2101/103C02F2101/20C02F2307/06B01J2220/4893B01J20/28033B01J20/3078B01J20/3204B01J2220/56B01J2220/62B01J20/3071B01J20/2808B01J2220/485B01J20/28019B01D2253/10B01J20/223
Inventor VO, TOAN PHAN
Owner CALGON CARBON
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