Treatment of aqueous compositions with metal components

Abstract

A method for treating feedwater includes adding a metal component to the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to the treatment of aqueous compositions with metal components. [Background technology]

[0002] The removal of impurities and / or emulsions from water is commonly required in a wide variety of situations, such as the treatment of contaminated natural water or industrially produced water. However, conventional techniques for water treatment, such as those for removing phosphorus, perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), emulsions, etc., suffer from problems of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, lack of versatility, high cost, and complex implementation. [Overview of the project]

[0003] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component containing a metal to feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition. The metal component includes metal ions, solid or dissolved compounds of metal, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0004] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound from the feedwater. The method also comprises removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition, the clarified aqueous composition having a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feedwater.

[0005] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to phosphorus-containing feedwater to form a solid containing a phosphorus-containing salt from the feedwater. The method also comprises removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition, the clarified aqueous composition having a lower phosphorus concentration than the feedwater.

[0006] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to phosphorus-containing feedwater to form a phosphorus-containing solid from the feedwater. The method comprises removing the solid from the feedwater to form a phosphorus-containing clarified aqueous composition, the clarified aqueous composition having a lower phosphorus concentration than the feedwater. The method comprises treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form a galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated phosphorus-containing solid from the clarified aqueous composition. The method also comprises removing the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid from the clarified aqueous composition to form generated water having a lower phosphorus concentration than the clarified aqueous composition.

[0007] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition. The method also comprises treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form product water.

[0008] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition. The method also comprises treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form a product water, which has reduced emulsion, reduced turbidity, or both compared to the feedwater.

[0009] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to feedwater to form a solid. The method comprises removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition. The method comprises treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form a galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid. The method also comprises removing the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid from the clarified aqueous composition to form a product.

[0010] In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. The method comprises adding a metal component to feedwater to form a solid. The method comprises removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition. The method comprises treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form a galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid. The method comprises removing the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid from the clarified aqueous composition to form generated water, which, compared to the feedwater, has a reduced concentration of one or more organic compounds, one or more inorganic compounds, one or more dyes and / or inks, one or more metals, one or more heavy metals, one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, phosphorus, fluoroalkyl compounds, sulfides, arsenic, silica, a reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD), or a combination thereof.

[0011] Various aspects of the present invention provide a method for treating feedwater. The method includes carrying out a treatment that involves adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component. The metal component includes aluminum ions, solid or dissolved compounds of aluminum, elemental forms of aluminum, or combinations thereof. The method includes removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the solid than the clarified aqueous composition. The method includes acidifying the aqueous concentrate. The method includes performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the acidified aqueous concentrate, and concentrating the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component in the aqueous concentrate. The method also includes adding the metal component contained in the residual solution to the feedwater before or during the treatment.

[0012] Various aspects of the present invention provide a method for treating feedwater. The method includes carrying out a treatment that involves adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component. The method includes removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the solid than the clarified aqueous composition. The method includes acidifying the aqueous concentrate. The method includes performing a secondary separation to separate a residual solution from the acidified aqueous concentrate, and concentrating the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component in the aqueous concentrate. The method includes purging one or more acidifying impurities from a liquid containing a metal component. The method includes adding a metal component from a liquid containing a metal component to the feedwater before or during the treatment.

[0013] Various aspects of the present invention provide a method for treating feedwater. The method includes carrying out a treatment comprising adding aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component. The method includes removing the solid from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the solid than the clarified aqueous composition. The method includes acidifying the aqueous concentrate. The method includes decomposing the metal component-treated fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate to form a liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The method includes purging one or more acidifying impurities from the liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The method also includes recirculation of aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, which includes mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide before or during the treatment.

[0014] Various aspects of the method of the present invention provide certain advantages over other water treatment methods. For example, in various aspects, the method of the present invention can remove emulsions, turbidity, various contaminants, or combinations thereof from water more efficiently and / or effectively than other methods. In various aspects, the method of the present invention can remove multiple contaminants with fewer steps and higher efficiency than other methods.

[0015] Various aspects of the method of the present invention include recovering metal components added to the feed water, recovering metal components generated by the anode of a galvanic cell, or combinations thereof, and further include reusing the recovered metal components as metal components added to the feed water. The addition and / or recycling of metal components can increase the efficiency of the method, reduce the degradation rate of the electrodes in the galvanic cell, reduce the overall cost, increase the efficiency of the entire process, or enable combinations thereof.

[0016] Various aspects of the method include performing a secondary separation after acidification of the aqueous concentrate to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate, thereby concentrating the galvanically cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate. By concentrating the galvanically cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound, the volume of water generated containing the galvanically cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound is reduced, and in a subsequent process for the decomposition of the galvanically cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound, the total amount of water to be treated to decompose the same amount of the galvanically cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound is reduced, thereby becoming more efficient.

[0017] Various aspects of the method can include purging acidified contaminants before returning the metal components to the contaminated water for recycling. By removing the acidified contaminants, the accumulation of acidified contaminants in the recirculation loop of the system can be reduced or completely avoided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings are illustrative, but not limiting, illustrations of various aspects of the present invention. [Figure 1] The image shows a side view of a galvanic cell in various configurations, including an anode which is a plate or strip, two cathodes which are a screen, and a conductive connector which maintains the gap between them. [Figure 2] The images show photographs illustrating the ends of galvanic cells within tubular plug flow reactors in various configurations, including the anode rod and cathode rod. [Figure 3] Schematic diagrams illustrating the ends of galvanic cells in tubular plug-flow reactors in various configurations are provided, showing the anode rod and cathode rod. [Figure 4] This shows electrolytic cells according to various embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 5] Two electrolytic cells according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown. [Figure 6] Two electrolytic cells according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown. [Figure 7] Multiple electrolytic cells according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown. [Figure 8] This diagram shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method for treating supply water according to various embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 9] This diagram shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method for treating supply water according to various embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10] This diagram shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method for treating supply water according to various embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 11] This diagram shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method for treating supply water according to various embodiments of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] The following will refer in detail to certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter. The disclosed subject matter will be described in conjunction with the enumerated claims, but it will be understood that the illustrative subject matter is not intended to limit the claims to the disclosed subject matter.

[0020] Throughout this document, values ​​expressed in range form should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values ​​explicitly listed as range limits, but also all individual numerical values ​​or subranges contained within that range, as if each numerical value and subrange were explicitly listed. For example, the range "approximately 0.1% to approximately 5%" or "approximately 0.1% to approximately 5%" should be interpreted to include not only approximately 0.1% to approximately 5%, but also the individual values ​​within the indicated range (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%), and subranges (e.g., 0.1% to 0.5%, 1.1% to 2.2%, and 3.3% to 4.4%). The notation "approximately X to Y" has the same meaning as "approximately X to approximately Y" unless otherwise indicated. Similarly, the notation "approximately X, Y, or approximately Z" has the same meaning as "approximately X, approximately Y, or approximately Z" unless otherwise indicated.

[0021] In this document, the terms “a,” “an,” or “the” are used to include one or more unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “or” is used to refer to a non-exclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated. The phrases “at least one of A and B” or “at least one of A or B” are synonymous with “A, B, or A and B.” Furthermore, it should be understood that expressions and terms used herein, unless otherwise defined, are used for illustrative purposes only and not for limitation. Any use of section headings is intended to aid in the reading of this document and should not be interpreted as limiting, and information related to a section heading may occur inside or outside that particular section.

[0022] In the methods described herein, the acts may be performed in a specific order as described herein. Alternatively, in any embodiment disclosed herein, unless a temporal or operational order is expressly specified, the acts may be performed in any order without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, unless the express language of a claim states that the acts are performed separately, or unless the express meaning of the claim requires it, the acts may be performed simultaneously. For example, the claimed act of doing X and the claimed act of doing Y may be performed simultaneously in a single operation, and the resulting process falls within the literal scope of the claimed process.

[0023] As used herein, the term “about” may allow some variation in a value or range, for example, within 10%, 5%, or 1% of the stated limits of the described value or range, and may include the exact described value or range.

[0024] As used herein, the term “substantially” means a majority or majority, such as at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.9%, 99.99%, or at least about 99.999% or more, or 100%. As used herein, the term “substantially absent” means either completely absent or present in such a small amount that it does not affect the material properties of the composition containing the substance. For example, the amount of the substance in the composition may be about 0% to about 5% by weight, or about 0% to about 1% by weight, or less than or equal to about 5% by weight, and may be lower than, equal to or higher than, about 4.5% by weight, 4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1, 0.01, or less than or equal to about 0.001% by weight, or may be about 0% by weight.

[0025] As used herein, the term "polymer" refers to a molecule having at least one repeating unit, and may include copolymers. All concentrations of phosphorus, magnesium, and aluminum mentioned herein are, unless otherwise indicated, soluble concentrations of these materials in elemental or non-elemental form (e.g., as compounds or ions containing the material). All concentrations described herein are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

[0026] As used herein, “total phosphorus concentration” means the concentration of any form of phosphorus unless otherwise indicated, and is measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard 365.1: semi-automatic colorimetric method for phosphorus, or by an equivalent method.

[0027] As used herein, “dissolved phosphorus concentration” means, unless otherwise specified, the concentration of phosphorus in any form that can pass through a 0.45-micron filter, and is measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard 365.1: semi-automatic colorimetric method for measuring phosphorus, or by an equivalent method.

[0028] As used herein, “reactive phosphorus concentration” means soluble reactive phosphorus in solution (e.g., orthophosphate) unless otherwise specified, and is measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard 365.1: semi-automatic colorimetric method for phosphorus, or by an equivalent method.

[0029] Methods for treating supply water In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating feedwater. This method may include adding a metal component containing a metal to the feedwater to form a clarification composition. The metal component may include metal ions, solid or dissolved compounds of metal, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0030] This method may be a method for removing or reducing emulsions in feedwater, a method for reducing the turbidity of feedwater, or a combination thereof. For example, feedwater may contain emulsions, and the clarifying aqueous composition may not contain emulsions, or may contain reduced emulsions compared to the feedwater. In some examples, the clarifying aqueous composition may have lower turbidity than the feedwater. The removal or reduction of emulsions in feedwater or the reduction of turbidity by adding metal components does not necessarily have to occur within an electrochemical cell, such as an electrolytic cell or galvanic cell.

[0031] In various embodiments, the addition of a metal component to feedwater can form a solid (e.g., a precipitated solid, a coagulated solid, a solid obtained by adding a solid metal component such as aluminum hydroxide or another aluminum salt to water, or by adsorption of one or more impurities into / on top of the solid metal component, or a combination thereof). The addition of the metal component and the formation of the solid do not necessarily have to occur within an electrochemical cell, such as an electrolytic cell or galvanic cell. The method may further include removing the solid from the metal component-treated composition to form a clarified aqueous composition. The removal of the solid from the metal component-treated composition can be carried out by any suitable method, including, for example, filtration, gravity sedimentation, decantation, centrifugation, sand removal hydrochron, or a combination thereof. This method is a method for coagulating and / or precipitating suspended solids from feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more organic compounds in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more inorganic compounds in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more dyes and / or inks in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more metals in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more heavy metals in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of phosphorus in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of fluorides in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of sulfides in feedwater, removing or reducing the concentration of arsenic in feedwater, reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of feedwater, and removing silica (e.g., SiO3) from feedwater. 2- ) may be removed or its concentration reduced, or a combination thereof.

[0032] In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain suspended solids, and the addition of a metal component to the feedwater causes the suspended solids to coagulate, forming coagulated solids. In various embodiments, the addition of a metal component to the feedwater forms precipitated solids. In various embodiments, the method may include the coagulation of precipitated solids formed from the addition of a metal component.

[0033] In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more organic compounds, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more organic compounds compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more inorganic compounds, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more inorganic compounds compared to the feedwater.

[0034] In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more dyes and / or inks, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more dyes and / or inks compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more metals, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more metals compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more heavy metals, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more heavy metals compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials in the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain fluorides, and the aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of fluorides compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain sulfides, and the aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of sulfides compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater contains arsenic, and the aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of arsenic compared to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the feedwater contains silica (e.g., SiO3 2- The aqueous composition, containing ), may have a lower silica concentration compared to feedwater. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) compared to feedwater.

[0035] In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain phosphorus, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower phosphorus concentration compared to the feedwater. For example, solids (e.g., precipitated solids, aggregated solids, solids obtained by adding solids containing solid metal components to water, by adsorption of one or more impurities into / on top of solid metal components, or combinations thereof) may contain phosphorus-containing salts in the feedwater, and consequently, the removal of solids from the feedwater results in the removal of phosphorus from the feedwater. In various embodiments, the phosphorus-containing solid in the feedwater is AlPO4 or its hydrate. The phosphorus in the feedwater may be in any suitable form. For example, the phosphorus in the feedwater may be elemental phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, solid phosphorus, oxidized phosphorus, or combinations thereof. The feedwater may have total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, reactive phosphorus concentration, or a combination thereof ranging from approximately 0.001 ppm to approximately 10,000 ppm, approximately 0.01 ppm to approximately 20 ppm, or less than approximately 0.001 ppm, and may have concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than approximately 0.005 ppm, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 150, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000, or 9,000 ppm.The clarifying aqueous composition may have a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, reactive phosphorus concentration, or a combination thereof, of approximately 0 ppm to approximately 10 ppm, approximately 0 ppm to approximately 1 ppm, approximately 0.0001 ppm to approximately 0.1 ppm, or approximately 0 ppm, and may be approximately 10 ppm or less and approximately 0 ppm or more, and approximately 0.0001 ppm, 0.0002, 0.0004, 0.0006, 0.0008, 0.0010, 0.0012, 0.0014, 0.0016, 0.0018, 0.002 It may have concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 0, 0.0022, 0.0024, 0.0026, 0.0028, 0.0030, 0.0032, 0.0034, 0.0036, 0.0038, 0.0040, 0.0045, 0.0050, 0.0060, 0.0080, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 6, 7, 8, or approximately 9 ppm or higher. The total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the clarified aqueous composition may be approximately 0% to approximately 70%, approximately 0% to approximately 20%, or approximately 70% or less and approximately 0% or more of the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the feedwater, and may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than approximately 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, or 65%.

[0036] In various embodiments, the feedwater may contain fluoroalkyl compounds, and the clarified aqueous composition may have a lower concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds compared to the feedwater. The fluoroalkyl compound may be any suitable fluoroalkyl compound, such as perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluoroalkyl substances, polyfluoroalkyl substances, perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), or combinations thereof. The fluoroalkyl compound may be perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctanesulfonamide)acetic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluoromethylheptanesulfonic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid, branched perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, perfluorododecanoic acid, or combinations thereof. The clarifying aqueous composition may have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds in the feedwater of 0% to 20%, or 0.001% to 5%, or about 20% or less and about 0% or more, and can have concentrations of fluoroalkyl compounds lower than or equivalent to or higher than about 0.001%, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 15%. The feedwater may have any appropriate concentration of one or more fluoroalkyl compounds, for example, 14 parts per trillion (14 ppt) or more, or 4 ppt or more, or 1 ppt to 100 parts per million (100 ppm), 20 ppt to 1 ppm, or 100 ppm or less and 1 ppt or more, such as 2 ppt, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, It may have concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 750, 1 ppm, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 ppm.The clarifying aqueous composition may have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compound that is lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 1 ppt, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 ppt.

[0037] The feedwater to which the metal component is added may have any suitable pH, for example, about 2 to about 14, about 5 to about 11, about 5 to about 7, about 10 to about 11, or about 14 or less and about 2 or more, and may have a pH lower than, equivalent to or higher than, about 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13, or 13.5. In various embodiments, the method includes adding an acid, a base, or a combination thereof to the feedwater before or during the addition of the metal component to the feedwater in order to adjust the pH of the feedwater. In other embodiments, the method does not adjust the pH of the feedwater before and / or during the addition of the metal component to the feedwater.

[0038] In various embodiments, the method may include adding one or more additives to the feedwater in addition to the metal component. For example, the method may include adding a cationic polymer to the feedwater to form a solid composite from the feedwater containing impurities (e.g., fluoroalkyl compounds) and the cationic polymer, wherein the cationic polymer is added before, during, or after the addition of the metal component to the feedwater. The cationic polymer may be any suitable cationic polymer, such as natural polymers, synthetic polymers, cationic polysaccharides, gums, alginic acid, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, dextran, glycogen, polyelectrolytes, polymers containing quaternary ammonium groups, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (polyDADMAC), or combinations thereof.

[0039] In various embodiments, the method may include, for example, adding an oxidizing agent to the feedwater before, during, or after the addition of metal components to the feedwater. The oxidizing agent may be any suitable oxidizing agent such as iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals from their decomposition, or combinations thereof. The addition of an oxidizing agent to the feedwater may include adding an aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent to the feedwater, where the aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent is approximately 0.001 ppm to approximately 999,999 ppm, or approximately 50,000 ppm to approximately 140,000 ppm, or approximately 999,999 ppm or less and approximately 0.001 ppm or more, and can be 0.001 ppm, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5, The oxidizing agent concentration is lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 10, 15, 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 500, 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000, 500,000, 750,000, or 900,000 ppm.

[0040] The metal component added to the supply water can be any one or more suitable metals. For example, the metal may include Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, or combinations thereof. 3+ ) may include metals such as Mg (for example, Mg 2+ ) may include. The metallic component is Al 3+, or aluminum compounds such as aluminum chloride or aluminum hydroxide. Addition of a metal component to feedwater may include adding a metal salt of the metal component to the feedwater. The metal salt may be any suitable salt such as AlCl3, Al(OH)3, AlPO4, Al2(SO4)3, or a combination thereof. Addition of a metal component to feedwater may include adding an aqueous solution of the metal salt of the metal component to the feedwater. The aqueous solution of the metal salt of the metal component may have any suitable metal concentration, for example, about 0.001 ppm to about 999,999 ppm, or about 50,000 ppm to about 140,000 ppm, or about 999,999 ppm or less and about 0.001 ppm or more, such as 0.001 ppm, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 5 It can have metal concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 0, 100, 150, 200, 500, 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000, 500,000, 750,000, or 900,000 ppm. The volume ratio of the aqueous solution of the added metal component's metal salt to the feedwater may be any suitable ratio, e.g., 5:1 to 1:1000, 1:1 to 1:100, or 5:1 or less and 1:1000 or more, and may be lower, equivalent to, or higher than 1:500, 1:200, 1:100, 1:50, 1:25, 1:10, 1:8, 1:6, 1:4, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1. In various embodiments, the metal of the metal component is generated by a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell (e.g., a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell that processes the clarified aqueous composition downstream of the addition of metal ions, and / or a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell that is not part of the downstream processing process), or the metal is generated by something other than a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell (e.g., generated via the direct addition of aluminum salt to water, or by other means).

[0041] Various aspects of the present invention include reusing / recirculating at least some of the metal components in the clarifying aqueous composition, the solid removed from the feedwater, or both, as metal components added to the feedwater. For example, metal components in the clarifying aqueous composition (if present), metal components in the solid removed from the feedwater, or a combination thereof can be used as 1% to 100% by weight of the metal components added to the feedwater, or 100% or less and 1% or more by weight, which may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 2% by weight, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99% by weight. The method may include reusing any appropriate proportion of the metal components in the clarified aqueous composition (if present), the metal components in the solids removed from the feedwater, or both, as metal components added to the feedwater, for example, 0.01% to 100% by weight, 50% to 100% by weight, or 100% or less and 0.01% or more by weight, and may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 0.05% by weight, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99% by weight.

[0042] By removing solids from the feedwater, a clarified aqueous composition with a low concentration of solids may be formed, as may an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of solids. The aqueous concentrate may include extracts, foam, filtration residue, separated precipitates, slurry, sludge, wet precipitates, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, the aqueous concentrate contains a metal component added to the feedwater, and the method includes reusing at least a portion of the metal of the metal component in the aqueous concentrate as at least a portion of the metal component added to the feedwater. The method may include acidifying the aqueous concentrate to bring its pH to 0.5 to 5, or 5 or less and 0.5 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equal to, or higher than 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, or 4.5. The acidification may be sufficient to at least partially dissolve one or more salts in the feedwater containing the metal of the metal component added to the feedwater. The method may include removing solids from an acidified aqueous concentrate and reusing at least a portion of the dissolved metal components in the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solids have been removed as metal components to be added to the feedwater. In various embodiments, the method may further include adjusting the pH of the aqueous concentrate by adding a base to the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solids have been removed, before reusing the metal components by adding the composition to the feedwater, for example, to set the pH of the composition to 3 to 10, or 3 to 6, or 10 or less and 3 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, or 9.5.

[0043] In various embodiments, the feedwater and aqueous concentrate contain a fluoroalkyl compound, and the method further comprises decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound. The decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound can be carried out by any suitable method, including, for example, heat treatment, electrolytic cells, plasma reactors, treatment with supercritical water, combustion, chemical treatment (e.g., treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or acidic piranha solution, or treatment with acids, bases, or combinations thereof, such as potassium t-butoxide, sodium hydroxide, basic piranha solution, or combinations thereof), or combinations thereof. The acidic piranha solution may include a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, such as a mixture of about 70% 98% H2SO4 and about 30% 30% H2O2. The basic piranha solution may include a mixture of ammonia solution (e.g., NH4OH and / or NH3) and hydrogen peroxide in a ratio of about 3:1. The decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate may include decomposing 60% to 100% by weight, or 95% to 100% by weight, or 100% or less and 60% or more by weight of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate, which may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 82%, 84%, 86%, 88%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% by weight.

[0044] Decomposition of fluoroalkyl compounds in aqueous concentrates may include heat treatment. The heat treatment may include heating to a treatment temperature of 1000°C to 5000°C, or 1400°C to 2000°C, or 1500°C or higher, or 5000°C or lower and 1000°C or higher, which may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 1100°C, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2250, 2500, 2750, 3000, 3500, 4000, or 4500°C. The heat treatment may include maintaining the fluoroalkyl compound at the treatment temperature for a duration of 0.1 seconds to 24 hours, or less than 24 hours and more than 0.1 seconds, which may be shorter than, equivalent to, or longer than 0.5 seconds, 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22 hours.

[0045] The decomposition of fluoroalkyl compounds may include treatment with an electrolytic cell comprising an electrolytic anode and an electrolytic cathode. Treatment with an electrolytic cell may include adding water to an aqueous concentrate. Treatment with an electrolytic cell may include acidifying an aqueous concentrate to a pH of 0.5 to 5, or 5 or less and 0.5 or more, before or during the electrolytic treatment, and the pH may be lower than, equivalent to or higher than 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, or 4.5. The acidification may be sufficient to dissolve metal components (e.g., aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide) in the aqueous concentrate. Treatment with an electrolytic cell may form an electrolytically treated composition comprising solids and liquids. The liquid may include metal components added to the feedwater, and the method may further include separating the liquid from the solid and reusing at least a portion of the metal components as at least a portion of the metal components added to the feedwater in the method. The metallic component may be aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, and the liquid may contain aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The method may include separating the liquid from the solid and recirculating the aluminum ions, which involves mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. In various embodiments, the method may include adjusting the pH of the liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide by adding a base before mixing with the feedwater, for example, to adjust the pH to 3-6, 5.5-8, or 10 or less and 3 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, or 9.5. The method may include filtering the aluminum-containing liquid to which the base has been added before adding the liquid to the feedwater.

[0046] The electrolytic treatment may include any suitable electrolytic treatment for decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound. The method may include treating the aqueous concentrate in an electrolytic cell for a duration of 1 second to 24 hours, or 50 minutes to 200 minutes, or 24 hours or less and 1 second or longer, which may be shorter than, equivalent to, or longer than 0.5 seconds, 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200 minutes, 4 hours, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22 hours. Electrolytic anodes can include anode materials containing metal oxides, transition metal oxides, mixed metal oxides (MMOs), Ti4O7, PbO2, boron-doped diamond (BDD), SnO2, Bi2O3, RuO2, IrO2, Ta2O5, precious metals, platinum (e.g., platinum coating on titanium), PtO2, MnO2, CeO2, Rh2O3, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or combinations thereof. For example, an electrolytic anode may contain RuO2 and IrO2, or PbO2 and Bi2O3, or IrO2, RuO2, PtO2, and Rh2O3. The electrolytic anode may be entirely formed of anode material (e.g., without a catalyst coating), or it may include a coating or deposit of anode material (e.g., as a catalyst coating) on ​​a suitable substrate such as titanium, stainless steel, carbon steel, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. The catalyst coating may be present on one or both main surfaces of the electrolytic anode. The electrolytic cathode may include stainless steel, titanium, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), carbon steel, precious metals, platinum, nickel, iron, copper, silver, or a combination thereof.The electrolytic cathode can be formed entirely of the cathode material (e.g., without a catalyst coating), or the electrolytic cathode can include a coating of the cathode material (e.g., as a catalyst coating) on a suitable substrate such as on a substrate that is titanium, stainless steel, carbon steel, Pt, Ni, Fe, Cu, Ag, carbon, or a combination thereof. The catalyst coating can be present on one or both major surfaces of the electrolytic cathode. The treatment by the electrolytic cell is carried out at 5 - 500 mA / cm² 2 , or 10 - 40 mA / cm² 2 , or 500 mA / cm² 2 or less and 5 mA / cm² 2 or more, and approximately 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 350, 400, or 450 mA / cm² 2 by applying a voltage sufficient to generate a current density between the electrolytic anode and the electrolytic cathode. The treatment by the electrolytic cell can further include adding an additive to the aqueous concentrate before or during the treatment by the electrolytic cell. The additive can include H2SO4, HCl, K2SO4, Na2SO4, Na2S2O8, KHSO5, H2O2, NaCl, KCl, or a combination thereof.

[0047] The decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound can include treatment by a plurality of electrolytic cells. The plurality of electrolytic cells can include 2 - 1,000 electrolytic cells, e.g., 2 electrolytic cells, or 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 or more electrolytic cells.

[0048] The electrolytic anode, electrolytic cathode, and bipolar electrode may be a first electrolytic anode, a first electrolytic cathode, and a first bipolar electrode, and the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound may further include processing by a second electrolytic cell comprising a first electrolytic cathode, one or more second bipolar electrodes, and a second electrolytic anode, the second bipolar electrode being located between the first electrolytic cathode and the second electrolytic anode. The decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound may further include processing by a third electrolytic cell comprising a second electrolytic anode, one or more third bipolar electrodes, and a second electrolytic cathode.

[0049] The electrolytic anode, electrolytic cathode, and bipolar electrode may be a first electrolytic anode, a first electrolytic cathode, and a first bipolar electrode, and the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound may further include processing by a second electrolytic cell comprising a first electrolytic anode, one or more second bipolar electrodes, and a second electrolytic cathode, the second bipolar electrode being located between the first electrolytic anode and the second electrolytic cathode. The decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound may further include processing by a third electrolytic cell comprising a second electrolytic cathode, one or more third bipolar electrodes, and a second electrolytic anode.

[0050] Figure 4 shows an electrolytic cell 100 for decomposing fluoroalkyl compounds. The electrolytic cell includes an electrolytic anode plate 110. The electrolytic cell includes an electrolytic cathode plate 120. The electrolytic anode plate includes a catalyst coating. The electrolytic cell includes two bipolar plates 130 positioned between the electrolytic anode plate 110 and the electrolytic cathode plate 120. Each of the two bipolar plates 130 has a catalyst coating on one main surface 140 of the bipolar plate 130 facing the electrolytic cathode plate 120.

[0051] Figure 5 shows two electrolytic cells, a first electrolytic cell 200 and a second electrolytic cell 201, for decomposing fluoroalkyl compounds. The first electrolytic cell 200 includes a first electrolytic cathode plate 220, a first electrolytic anode plate 210, and two first bipolar plates 230 positioned between the first electrolytic cathode plate 220 and the first electrolytic anode plate 210. The first electrolytic anode plate 210 includes a catalyst coating. The two first bipolar plates 230 include a catalyst coating on one main surface 240 of the first bipolar plates 230 facing the first electrolytic cathode plate 220. The second electrolytic cell 201 includes a first electrolytic anode plate 210, a second electrolytic cathode plate 250, and two second bipolar plates 260. Each of the two second bipolar plates 260 includes a catalyst coating on one main surface 270 of the second bipolar plate 260 that faces the second electrolytic cathode plate 250.

[0052] Figure 6 shows two electrolytic cells, a first electrolytic cell 300 and a second electrolytic cell 301, for decomposing fluoroalkyl compounds. The first electrolytic cell 300 includes a first electrolytic anode plate 310, a first electrolytic cathode plate 320, and two first bipolar plates 330 positioned between the first anode plate 310 and the first electrolytic cathode plate 320. The first electrolytic anode plate 310 includes a catalyst coating. The two first bipolar plates 330 include a catalyst coating on one main surface 340 of the first bipolar plates 330 facing the first electrolytic cathode plate 320. The second electrolytic cell 301 includes a first electrolytic cathode plate 320, a second electrolytic anode plate 350, and two second bipolar plates 360. The second bipolar plate 360 ​​is located between the first electrolytic cathode plate 320 and the second electrolytic anode plate 350. The second electrolytic anode plate 350 includes a catalyst coating. Each second bipolar plate 330 includes a catalyst coating on one main surface 370 of the second bipolar plate 330 that faces the first electrolytic cathode plate 320.

[0053] Figure 7 shows several electrolytic cells 400 for decomposing fluoroalkyl compounds. Each electrolytic cell includes an electrolytic anode 410, an electrolytic cathode 420, and two bipolar plates 430. The electrolytic anode plate 410 includes a catalyst coating. Each bipolar plate includes a catalyst coating on the main surface 440 of the bipolar plate facing the nearest electrolytic cathode 420. Figure 7 shows ten electrolytic cells.

[0054] In various embodiments, the method comprises forming an aqueous concentrate and a clarified aqueous composition, followed by removing water from the aqueous concentrate. Removal of water from the aqueous concentrate may form a dry impurity composition containing a fluoroalkyl compound. The method may further comprise decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate, which includes decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound in the dry impurity composition.

[0055] In various embodiments, the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, and the feedwater to which a metal component is added contains foam containing the fluoroalkyl compound. The foam may have a higher concentration of fluoroalkyl water than the rest of the feedwater (e.g., higher than the feedwater on which the foam floats). The foam may include bubbles added to the solution using a bubbler. The bubbles may include any suitable one or more gases such as air, inert gas, nitrogen, hydrogen, noble gas, helium-argon, xenon, or a combination thereof. The method may further include removing the foam from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition, the aqueous concentrate containing the foam. Removal of the foam may be carried out by any suitable method, including scraping the foam from the top of the feedwater, scooping the foam from the top of the feedwater, sucking the foam from the top of the feedwater, filtering the foam from the feedwater, decanting the foam from the feedwater, or a combination thereof. The method may further include destroying the foam, filtering the foam, or a combination thereof to form destroyed foam. The bubbles can be broken by applying a vacuum, applying heat, allowing the bubbles to stand for a certain period of time, or a combination thereof. The method may further include filtering the broken bubbles to form a residue containing a fluoroalkyl compound, the residue having a higher concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the filtrate formed during filtration.

[0056] In various embodiments, the method does not involve the treatment of water using a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell. In other embodiments, the method includes treating a clarified aqueous composition formed by adding a metal component to feedwater with a galvanic cell. Treatment of the clarified aqueous composition can form product water. Treatment of the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell can further treat the water to further remove emulsions, reduce turbidity, or remove one or more impurities from the water. The galvanic cell treatment can act similarly to the metal component treatment (for example, both the galvanic cell and the addition of a metal component can remove emulsions, phosphorus, fluoroalkyl compounds, or combinations thereof), and / or the galvanic cell treatment can act differently from the metal component treatment.

[0057] In various embodiments, treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell removes or reduces the emulsion in the clarified aqueous composition, reduces the turbidity of the clarified aqueous composition, or results in a combination of these. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition contains emulsion, and the resulting water contains no emulsion or has reduced emulsion compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the resulting water has lower turbidity than the clarified aqueous composition.

[0058] By treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solids may be formed. The method may further include removing the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solids from the galvanically treated clarified aqueous composition to form product water. The removal can be carried out by any suitable method. For example, the removal of the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solids may include filtration, gravity sedimentation, decantation, centrifugation, sand removal hydrochron, or a combination thereof.

[0059] In various embodiments, by treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, suspended solids may solidify and / or precipitate from the clarified aqueous composition, or one or more organic compounds may be removed or their concentration may decrease in the clarified aqueous composition, or one or more inorganic compounds may be removed or their concentration may decrease in the clarified aqueous composition, or one or more dyes and / or inks may be removed or their concentration may decrease in the clarified aqueous composition, or one or more metals may be removed or their concentration may decrease in the clarified aqueous composition, or one or more heavy metals may be removed or their concentration may decrease in the clarified aqueous composition. One or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials are removed or their concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; phosphorus is removed or its concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; fluoroalkyl compounds are removed or their concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; fluorides are removed or their concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; sulfides are removed or their concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; arsenic is removed or its concentration is reduced in the clarified aqueous composition; the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the clarified aqueous composition is reduced; or silica (e.g., SiO3) is removed in the clarified aqueous composition. 2- ) is removed or its concentration is reduced, or a combination of these occurs.

[0060] In various embodiments, the clarifying aqueous composition contains a suspended solid, and by treating the clarifying aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, the suspended solid aggregates to form an aggregated solid. In various embodiments, by treating the clarifying aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, a precipitated solid is formed. In various embodiments, the method may include the aggregation of the precipitated solid formed from the addition of a metal component.

[0061] In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more organic compounds, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more organic compounds compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more inorganic compounds, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more inorganic compounds compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more dyes and / or inks, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more dyes and / or inks compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more metals, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more metals compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more heavy metals, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more heavy metals compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition may contain one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarifying aqueous composition may contain fluoride, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of fluoride compared to the clarifying aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarifying aqueous composition may contain sulfide, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of sulfide compared to the clarifying aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarifying aqueous composition may contain arsenic, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of arsenic compared to the clarifying aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the clarifying aqueous composition may contain silica (e.g., SiO3) 2- The resulting water contains ) and has a lower silica concentration compared to the clarified aqueous composition. In various embodiments, the resulting water has a lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) compared to the clarified aqueous composition.

[0062] The clarifying aqueous composition may contain phosphorus, and the resulting water may have a lower phosphorus concentration compared to the clarifying aqueous composition. The solid may contain a phosphorus-containing salt in the clarifying aqueous composition. For example, the solid may contain AlPO4. The phosphorus in the clarifying aqueous composition may be in any suitable form, such as elemental phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organophosphorus, soluble phosphorus, solid phosphorus, oxidized phosphorus, or a combination thereof. The clarifying aqueous composition may have a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, reactive phosphorus concentration, or a combination thereof ranging from about 0.001 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, or from about 0.01 ppm to about 20 ppm, or less than or equal to about 0.001 ppm, and may have concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than, about 0.005 ppm, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 150, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000, or 9,000 ppm. The generated water may have a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, reactive phosphorus concentration, or a combination thereof, ranging from approximately 0 ppm to approximately 1 ppm, or from approximately 0.0001 ppm to approximately 0.1 ppm, or less than or equal to approximately 1 ppm and greater than or equal to approximately 0 ppm, such as approximately 0.0001 ppm, 0.0002, 0.0004, 0.0006, 0.0008, 0.0010, 0.0012, 0.0014, 0.0016, 0.0018, 0.00 It may have concentrations lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 20, 0.0022, 0.0024, 0.0026, 0.0028, 0.0030, 0.0032, 0.0034, 0.0036, 0.0038, 0.0040, 0.0045, 0.0050, 0.0060, 0.0080, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, or 0.9 ppm.The total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the generated water may be approximately 0% to approximately 70%, 0% to approximately 20%, or approximately 70% or less and approximately 0% or more of the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the clarified aqueous composition, and may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than approximately 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, or 65%. In various embodiments, both the addition of a metal component with solid removal and treatment by a galvanic cell serve to remove phosphorus from the feedwater and the clarified aqueous composition.

[0063] In various embodiments, the clarification aqueous composition may contain a fluoroalkyl compound, and the resulting water may have a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound compared to the clarification aqueous composition. The fluoroalkyl compound may be any suitable fluoroalkyl compound, such as a perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), or a combination thereof. The fluoroalkyl compound may be perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctanesulfonamide)acetic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluoromethylheptanesulfonic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid, branched perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, perfluorododecanoic acid, or a combination thereof. The generated water may have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds of 0% to 20% of the concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds in the clarified aqueous composition, or 0.001% to 5%, or about 20% or less and about 0% or more, and may also have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds lower than, equivalent to, or higher than about 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, or 15%. The feedwater and / or clarified aqueous composition may have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds of 1 ppt to 100 ppm, or 20 ppt to 1 ppm, or 100 ppm or less and 1 ppt or more, which may be lower than, equal to or higher than, 2 ppt, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 750, 1 ppm, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 ppm.The generated water can have a concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds ranging from 0.001 ppt to 100 ppt, or from 0.001 ppt to 15 ppt, or between 100 ppt and 0 ppt, which may be lower than, equal to, or higher than 1 ppt, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 ppt. In various embodiments, both the addition of metal components with solid removal and treatment by a galvanic cell serve to remove fluoroalkyl compounds from the feedwater and clarified aqueous composition.

[0064] The clarified aqueous composition treated with the galvanic cell can have any suitable pH, for example, about 2 to about 14, about 5 to about 11, about 5 to about 7, about 10 to about 11, or a pH of about 14 or less and about 2 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equivalent to, or higher than, about 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13, or 13.5. In various embodiments, the method includes adding an acid, a base, or a combination thereof to the clarified aqueous composition before or during the galvanic cell treatment to adjust the pH of the clarified aqueous composition.

[0065] In various embodiments, the method may include adding one or more additives to the clarified aqueous composition before or during treatment with a galvanic cell. For example, the method may include adding oxidizing agents such as iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals from their decomposition, or combinations thereof to the clarified aqueous composition. The addition of an oxidizing agent to the clarified aqueous composition may include adding an aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent to the clarified aqueous composition. An aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent can have any appropriate concentration of the oxidizing agent, for example, about 0.001 ppm to about 999,999 ppm, about 50,000 ppm to about 140,000 ppm, or a concentration of about 999,999 ppm or less and about 0.001 ppm or more, which can be 0.001 ppm, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5, 10, 1 It may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 5, 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 500, 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000, 500,000, 750,000, or 900,000 ppm.

[0066] In various embodiments, the method may include adding a cationic polymer to a clarified aqueous composition to form a solid composite from the clarified aqueous composition containing impurities (e.g., fluoroalkyl compounds) and the cationic polymer, the cationic polymer being added before, during, or after galvanic treatment. The cationic polymer may be any suitable cationic polymer, such as natural polymers, synthetic polymers, cationic polysaccharides, gums, alginic acid, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, dextran, glycogen, polyelectrolytes, polymers containing quaternary ammonium groups, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (polyDADMAC), or combinations thereof.

[0067] In various embodiments, the clarified aqueous composition contains a fluoroalkyl compound, and by treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, galvanic cell-treated water is formed, which contains the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound. The method may further include separating the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound from the galvanic cell-treated water to form generated water with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the clarified aqueous composition, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound than the generated water. The galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound may include oxidation products of the fluoroalkyl compound, complexes formed between the fluoroalkyl compound and one or more ions formed by the galvanic cell, reaction products between the fluoroalkyl compound and one or more ions formed by the galvanic cell, or combinations thereof.

[0068] Treatment of a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell involves contacting the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell. Treatment with a galvanic cell can be carried out in any suitable container, such as a plug-flow reactor or a tank.

[0069] A galvanic cell may be any suitable type of galvanic cell. A galvanic cell comprises an anode and a cathode. A galvanic cell does not have an externally applied potential between the anode and cathode. The anode may include Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, or combinations thereof. The anode may include Al or an Al alloy, for example, 90% to 100% by weight of Al (e.g., less than 100% by weight and more than 90% by weight, and lower than or equal to or higher than 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% by weight). The cathode may have a different composition from the anode and may include Al, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Sn, Pb, Cu, Ag, Co, Mn, Pd, Ag, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or combinations thereof), or combinations thereof. The cathode may contain Cu or a Cu alloy, for example, 90% to 100% by weight of Cu (e.g., 100% or less and 90% or more by weight, lower than or equal to or higher than 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% by weight). The cathode may contain Mg, for example, 90% to 100% by weight of Mg (e.g., 100% or less and 90% or more by weight, lower than or equal to or higher than 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% by weight). A galvanic cell may include an anode containing Al and a cathode containing Cu. A galvanic cell may include an anode containing Al and a cathode containing Mg. In various embodiments, a galvanic cell includes two or more anodes and not more than one cathode. In another embodiment, a galvanic cell includes multiple anodes and multiple cathodes.

[0070] The anode and cathode of a galvanic cell can have any suitable physical form. For example, the anode and cathode can independently include rods, bars, tubes, sheets, plates, inclined plates, strips, non-porous materials, porous materials, screens, wire mesh, or combinations thereof. The anode and cathode can independently be rods, bars, or combinations thereof. The anode may be a strip or a plate, and the cathode may be a porous material. The porous material can include screens, wire mesh, or combinations thereof. The anode and cathode can be in physical contact with each other. The anode and cathode may have a gap between them, which is 1 mm to 110 mm, or 2 mm to 30 mm, or less than 110 mm and greater than 1 mm, and less than, equal to, or greater than 2 mm, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 mm. In various embodiments, the anode and cathode have a gap between them but are in contact with each other at other locations. In various embodiments, the anode and cathode have a gap between them but are not in physical contact with each other (for example, the gap represents the closest physical distance between the anode and the cathode).

[0071] Figure 1 shows a side view of a galvanic cell 100. The galvanic cell includes an anode 110, which is a strip or plate. The galvanic cell includes two cathodes 120, which are screens. The galvanic cell includes a conductive connector 130, which includes a bolt, two washers (each washer between the cathode 120 and the anode 110), and a nut. The conductive connector 130 maintains the gap between the cathode 120 and the anode 110.

[0072] Figure 2 shows a photograph of the end of a galvanic cell in a tubular plug flow reactor. This photograph shows copper and aluminum rods. Some of the rods have gaps between them, while others can come into contact with each other at various positions. In the lower part of the area shown in the photograph, the galvanic cell is equipped with a conductive connector made of stainless steel, which has a flat pack-like or disc-like shape with holes extending from one main surface to the other, into which the rods are fitted, maintaining gaps between the rods at least at the location of the conductive connector.

[0073] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the ends of a galvanic cell in a tubular plug-flow reactor, showing the anode rod and cathode rod. Figure 3 is a simplified schematic diagram of the photograph shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a tubular reactor 300 having a galvanic cell inside, which includes a large cathode rod 310 and a small anode rod 320. The cathode rod 310 and the anode rod 320 have a gap between them.

[0074] A galvanic cell can be a tubular reactor containing an anode rod and a cathode rod, such as an aluminum rod and a copper rod. The rods may be solid aluminum or copper, hollow aluminum or copper rods, or solid or hollow rods coated or plated with aluminum or copper. The plated or coated anode or cathode core (e.g., the electrode portion beneath the plating or coating) can be any suitable electrically conductive material such as copper, graphite, nickel, silver, titanium, brass, steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, or a combination thereof. The rods may be welded to each other at one or more locations along the length of the reactor. For example, the rods may be welded to each other at one or both ends of the reactor, or near both ends. In one example, the ends of the rods are welded to each other at one or both ends of the tubular reactor. One or more welds at each location along the length of the reactor may be electrically conductive connectors that physically and electrically connect the anode rod and the cathode rod. At the location of the weld, the anode rod and cathode rod may be in physical contact with each other, have a gap between them, or a combination of these. At locations along the length of the tubular reactor, away from one or more welds, the anode rod and cathode rod may be in physical contact with each other, have a gap between them, or a combination of these. A weld that includes physical contact between the anode rod and cathode rod can maintain contact between the rods along the length of the reactor or in close proximity to the weld. A weld that includes a gap between the anode rod and cathode rod can maintain a gap between the anode and cathode along the length of the reactor or in close proximity to the weld. A tubular reactor having a weld that includes a gap between the anode rod and cathode rod can include contact between the anode rod and cathode rod at one or more locations along the length of the reactor, such as one or more locations away from the weld.

[0075] The anode and / or cathode may not include a plating coating of metal deposited thereon. In other embodiments, the anode and / or cathode may include plating and / or deposits thereon containing Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, Sn, Pb, Ag, Co, Mn, Pd, Mo, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. The plating may be a continuous coating of the metal present. Deposition (e.g., chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, chemical reduction, or a combination thereof) can form a discontinuous coating of the metal deposited thereon. For example, in electroless deposition, a solution of desired metal ions can be brought into contact with the anode or cathode for a short time (e.g., 30 seconds to 1 minute) so that the metal ions are deposited on the surface of the contacted electrode. In various embodiments, the anode may include a plating or deposition of metal thereon, where the plating and / or deposited metal is the cathode or the cathode itself, and the cathode deposited or plated on the anode may be the sole cathode in the galvanic cell (e.g., an electroless configuration), or the galvanic cell may further include another cathode that is not plated or deposited on the anode, containing Al, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Sn, Pb, Cu, Ag, Co, Mn, Pd, Ag, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, the anode contains plated and / or deposited Cu on its surface, the cathode contains Cu, and the cathode is not plated or deposited on an anode containing Al. The core of the plated or coated anode or cathode (e.g., the electrode portion beneath the plating or coating) may be any suitable electrically conductive material such as copper, graphite, nickel, silver, titanium, brass, steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, or a combination thereof.

[0076] In various embodiments, a galvanic cell may include a conductive connector. The conductive connector can physically and electrically connect the anode and the cathode. The conductive connector may maintain a gap between the anode and the cathode (for example, the conductive connector may hold the anode and cathode apart and maintain a gap between them) or the conductive connector may hold the anode and cathode in contact with each other. The conductive connector may include any suitable electrically conductive material. The conductive connector may include Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Sn, Pb, or a combination thereof. The conductive connector may include brass, stainless steel, or a combination thereof. The conductive connector may include any suitable physical form such as a weld, fastener, fastener assembly, threaded fastener, screw, bolt, bracket, nut, washer, or a combination thereof. The anode and cathode may include one or more through holes of suitable size (e.g., holes for fasteners, screws, or bolts) to allow the conductive connector to pass through them.

[0077] A galvanic cell may include a non-conductive connector that physically connects the anode and cathode but does not provide an electrical connection between the anode and cathode. The non-conductive connector may include any suitable non-conductive material such as plastic, glass, rubber, or a combination thereof, and / or the non-conductive connector may include a conductive connector coated with a non-conductive material. The non-conductive connector may include welds, fasteners, fastener assemblies, threaded fasteners, screws, bolts, brackets, nuts, washers, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, a galvanic cell may not include a conductive or non-conductive connector. In various embodiments, a galvanic cell may include a conductive connector but not a non-conductive connector. In various embodiments, a galvanic cell may include a non-conductive connector but not a conductive connector. In various embodiments, a galvanic cell may include a combination of a conductive and a non-conductive connector.

[0078] This method does not necessarily involve treating the clarified aqueous composition with added UV light. In other embodiments, this method may further include treating the clarified aqueous composition with UV light before or during contact with the galvanic cell. The UV light may be any suitable UV light, for example, wavelengths less than 254 nm, e.g., 150 nm to less than 254 nm, or 180 nm to 220 nm, or UV light containing wavelengths less than 254 nm and greater than or equal to 150 nm, such as 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, 180, 18 UV light may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 1, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 225, 230, 235, 240, 245, or 250 nm. UV light may include light having wavelengths of approximately 185 nm and / or approximately 204 nm. UV light may be irradiated from light bulbs placed inside the reactor equipped with a galvanic cell, or from light bulbs placed upstream and / or downstream of the galvanic cell. A galvanic cell equipped with a UV light source may contain the UV light source within the cell so that it is immersed in a liquid, or the galvanic cell may be housed in a UV-transparent enclosure, with one or more UV sources provided on the outside of the enclosure to irradiate the inside of the enclosure with UV light, and a clarified aqueous composition may be flowed through and treated by the galvanic cell and UV light. By removing galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated solids from the clarifying aqueous composition, a product water with a low concentration of galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated solids is formed, as well as an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated solids. The aqueous concentrate may include extracts, foam, filtration residue, separated precipitates, slurry, sludge, wet precipitates, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, the aqueous concentrate contains a metal component added to the feedwater, and the method further includes reusing at least a portion of the metal component in the aqueous concentrate as a metal component added to the feedwater. The method may include acidifying the aqueous concentrate to bring its pH to 0.5 to 5, or 5 or less and 0.5 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equal to or higher than, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, or 4.5. The acidification may be sufficient to at least partially dissolve one or more salts in the clarifying aqueous composition containing the metal component added to the feedwater. The method may include removing solids from an acidified aqueous concentrate and reusing at least a portion of the dissolved metal components in the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solids have been removed as metal components to be added to the feedwater in the method. In various embodiments, the method may further include adjusting the pH of the composition by adding a base to the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solids have been removed before reusing the metal components by adding the composition to the feedwater, for example, to set the pH of the composition to 3 to 10, or 3 to 6, or 10 or less and 3 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equivalent to or higher than, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, or 9.5.

[0079] In various embodiments, the feedwater, the clarified aqueous composition, and the aqueous concentrate containing a galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated solid contain a fluoroalkyl compound. The method may include decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound by any suitable method. Decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound may include heat treatment, electrolytic cells, plasma reactors, treatment with supercritical water, combustion, chemical treatment, or a combination thereof, and may include any of the decomposition methods described herein for treating fluoroalkyl compounds in solids formed from the addition of metal components to feedwater. The decomposition of fluoroalkyl compounds in an aqueous concentrate containing galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solids may include decomposing 60% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compounds in the aqueous concentrate, or 95% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compounds, or 100% or less and 60% or more by weight, which may be lower than, equivalent to, or higher than 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 82%, 84%, 86%, 88%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% by weight.

[0080] This method may include pre-treating the feedwater before and / or during the addition of metal components to the feedwater. Pre-treatment may include adjusting the pH of the feedwater, adding one or more additives to the feedwater, filtering the feedwater, allowing precipitates to settle from the feedwater, removing nitrogen from the feedwater (e.g., via electrochemical treatment of water or treatment with an oxidizing agent such as sedum hypochlorite) to remove nitrogen as ammonia, removing phosphorus from the feedwater, treating the feedwater with a pre-treatment galvanic cell, or a combination thereof. Pre-treatment may include adding one or more additives to the feedwater, one or more of which include polymer flocculants, radical precursors, hydrogen peroxide, persulfates, oxidizing agents, sodium hypochlorite, NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, or a combination thereof. One or more of these additives may include HOOH, O3, S2O8. - , I - CO3 2- , HCO3 - H2PO4 - HPO4 2-, PO4 3- HSO5 - The oxidizing agent may include iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals from their decomposition, or combinations thereof. Pretreatment may include adjusting the pH of the feedwater to 2-12, or 12 or less and 2 or more, which may be a pH lower than, equal to, or higher than 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, or 11.5. Pretreatment may include adding a base to the feedwater, for example, to bring the pH of the feedwater to 9.5-11.5. Pretreatment may include filtering the feedwater, such as filtering the feedwater to which the base has been added. This method may include adding a metal component to the filtrate.

[0081] This method may further include adding the solid removed during filtration of the feedwater to which a base has been added to an aqueous concentrate containing a solid formed from the addition of a metal component to the feedwater, to an aqueous concentrate containing a solid that has been galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated, or to a combination thereof.

[0082] This method may include adding a base to the feedwater and then removing nitrogen as ammonia from the feedwater. Nitrogen removal may include mixing the feedwater with an oxidizing agent such as sodium hypochlorite. This method may include filtering the feedwater from which nitrogen has been removed as ammonia, and the metal component is added to the filtered feedwater. This method may further include adding the solid removed during filtration of the feedwater from which nitrogen has been removed as ammonia to an aqueous concentrate containing a solid formed from the addition of a metal component to the feedwater, to an aqueous concentrate containing a galvanically precipitated and / or flocculated solid, or a combination thereof. This method may include adding a metal component to the feedwater before any pretreatment, after any pretreatment, after the addition of a base, after the addition of a base and / or removal of nitrogen as ammonia, or a combination thereof. The metal component may be added to the feedwater after the addition of a base. The metal component may be added to the feedwater after the addition of a base and after the removal of nitrogen as ammonia.

[0083] Figure 8 shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method 800 for treating feedwater. This method may include subjecting feedwater 801 containing a fluoroalkyl compound to a pretreatment including basing 802 (e.g., adding NaOH to bring the pH to approximately 10.5) to produce a based feedwater 804. This method may also include subjecting the based feedwater 804 to nitrogen removal 806 (e.g., adding sodium hypochlorite to remove nitrogen as ammonia) to produce a nitrogen-free feedwater 808. The nitrogen-free feedwater 808 may optionally have metallic components added to it via flow 811 (e.g., in the form of dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 808 is mixed with the metal components in the stream 832 (e.g., dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds, or combinations thereof) to form a solid containing the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., a precipitated solid, an aggregated solid, a solid resulting from adding a metal-ion-containing solid to water, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 808 is subjected to a separation process 810 to produce a clarified aqueous composition 812 and a solid 826. A polymer, such as an agglomerating polymer, may be added during or before the separation process 810. In step 814, the clarified aqueous composition 812 can be brought into contact with a galvanic cell (e.g., including an anode containing aluminum and a cathode containing copper) to produce galvanic cell-treated water 816 containing the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound. Alternatively, the galvanic cell treatment step may not be present in step 814, and step 814 includes a tank or other container for reacting aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide with a fluoroalkyl compound, or for precipitating a salt that absorbs the fluoroalkyl compound on aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, or for absorbing the fluoroalkyl compound on an aluminum salt such as aluminum hydroxide, thereby enabling the production of a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound.Before or during step 814, the method may include adding HCl to the clarified aqueous composition (for example, to bring the pH to about 5.5) and / or adding H2O2. The method may also include separating the treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., galvanically treated, metallically treated, or a combination thereof) from the water 816 818 to form product water 820 with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feed water 801 (or clarified aqueous composition 812), and forming an aqueous concentrate 828 with a higher concentration of the treated fluoroalkyl compound than the product water. The method may also include post-treating the product water 820 (e.g., by filtration such as ultrafiltration) to form post-treated product water 824 and solid 830. The solid impurities 826 and solid 830 can be mixed with the aqueous concentrate 828. The aqueous concentrate can be subjected to adjustment 834 (e.g., by adding H2SO4 to bring the pH to about 2) to form an adjusted aqueous concentrate 835. The adjusted aqueous concentrate 835 can be subjected to contact 836 with an electrolytic cell to decompose the treated fluoroalkyl compound and to form an electrolytically treated aqueous composition 838. The electrolytically treated aqueous composition 838 can be subjected to adjustment (e.g., by adding NaOH or Ca(OH)2 to bring the pH to about 6.5-7 and adding an agglomerating polymer) to form an adjusted electrolytically treated aqueous composition 838, which can be subjected to separation 844 (e.g., by filtration) to form a liquid 832 and a solid 846. The solid contains the decomposed fluoroalkyl compound. A liquid containing a metallic component (e.g., aluminum ions, aluminum hydroxide, or a combination thereof) can be added to the feedwater, for example, before separation 810.

[0084] Figure 9 shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method for treating feedwater 900. The method may include subjecting feedwater 901 containing a fluoroalkyl compound to a pretreatment including basing 902 (e.g., adding NaOH to bring the pH to approximately 10.5) to produce a based feedwater 904. The method may also include subjecting the based feedwater 904 to nitrogen removal 906 (e.g., adding sodium hypochlorite to remove nitrogen as ammonia) to produce a nitrogen-denitrified feedwater 908. The nitrogen-denitrified feedwater 908 may optionally have metallic components added to it via flow 911 (e.g., in the form of dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 908 is mixed with the metal components in the stream 932 (e.g., dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds, or combinations thereof) to form a solid containing the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., a precipitated solid, an aggregated solid, a solid resulting from adding a metal-ion-containing solid to water, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 908 is subjected to a separation process 910 to produce a clarified aqueous composition 912 and a solid 926. A polymer, such as an agglomerating polymer, can be added during or before the separation process 910. In step 914, the clarified aqueous composition 912 can be brought into contact with a galvanic cell (e.g., including an anode containing aluminum and a cathode containing copper) to produce galvanically treated water 916 containing the galvanically treated fluoroalkyl compound. Alternatively, the galvanic cell processing step may not be present in step 914, which includes a tank or other container for enabling the production of a metal-component-treated fluoroalkyl compound, for example, for reacting aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide with the fluoroalkyl compound, or for precipitating a salt that absorbs the fluoroalkyl compound on aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, or for absorbing the fluoroalkyl compound on an aluminum salt such as aluminum hydroxide.Before or during step 914, the method may include adding HCl to the clarified aqueous composition (for example, to bring the pH to about 5.5) and / or adding H2O2. The method may also include separating the treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., galvanically treated, metal ionized, or a combination thereof) from the water 916 918 to form product water 920 with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feed water 901 (or clarified aqueous composition 912), and forming an aqueous concentrate 928 with a higher concentration of the treated fluoroalkyl compound than the product water. The method may also include post-treating the product water 920 (e.g., by filtration such as ultrafiltration) to form post-treated product water 924 and solid 930. The solid impurities 926 and solid 930 can be mixed with the aqueous concentrate 928. The aqueous concentrate is subjected to adjustment 934 (for example, by adding H2SO4 to bring the pH to about 2) to form an adjusted aqueous concentrate 935. The adjusted aqueous concentrate 935 is subjected to contact 936 with an electrolytic cell to decompose the treated fluoroalkyl compound and to form an electrolytically treated aqueous composition 938. The electrolytically treated aqueous composition 938 is subjected to separation 940 (for example, by filtration) to form a liquid 932 and a solid 942. The liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide can be added to the feedwater, for example, after separation 910 and before step 912. The solid is subjected to adjustment (for example, by adding NaOH or Ca(OH)2 to bring the pH to about 6.5-7) to form a solid 946 containing the decomposed fluoroalkyl compound.

[0085] In Figure 8, a large amount of aluminum is lost due to the basification and aggregation of the electrolytically treated aqueous composition before the liquid is removed from the composition. This lost aluminum accounts for a significant portion of the operating costs, both in terms of the cost of the aluminum and the additional disposal costs. In Figure 9, the amount of aluminum lost is significantly reduced because the liquid phase of the electrolytically treated aqueous composition is recycled before it is basified.

[0086] This method may include acidifying the aqueous concentrate. In embodiments involving the decomposition of a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate, acidification may be performed before decomposition. This method may further include performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification of the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound and before any decomposition, thereby concentrating the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate and forming the residual solution separated from the aqueous concentrate. The separation may be any suitable separation technique such as filtration, precipitation, extraction, aeration, decantation, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, the secondary separation may include aerating the aqueous concentrate to form foam in the aqueous concentrate that can rise to the top of the residual solution. The secondary separation may include separating the residual solution from the foam.

[0087] Secondary separation allows for further concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds treated with metal components. For example, the ratio of the volume of the aqueous concentrate after removal of residual solution to the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate before removal of residual solution may be 1:100,000 to 1:1, 1:10,000 to 1:5, or 1:1 or less and 1:100,000 or more, and may also be 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 1:10, 1:12, 1:14, 1:16, 1:18, 1:20, 1:25, 1:30. , 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:60, 1:70, 1:80, 1:90, 1:100, 1:150, 1:200, 1:250, 1:500, 1:1,000, 1:1,500, 1:2,000, 1:2,500, 1:5,000, 1:10,000, 1:15,000, 1:20,000, 1:25,000, 1:50,000, or any ratio lower than, equal to, or higher than, 1:75,000. The ratio of the volume of the aqueous concentrate from which the residual solution has been removed to the volume of the feed water may be 1:1,000,000 to 1:1, or 1:100,000 to 1:10, or 1:1 or less and 1:1,000,000 or more, and may be 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 1:10, 1:12, 1:14, 1:16, 1:18, 1:20, 1:25, 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:60, 1:70, 1:80, 1 :90, 1:100, 1:150, 1:200, 1:250, 1:500, 1:1,000, 1:1,500, 1:2,000, 1:2,500, 1:5,000, 1:10,000, 1:15,000, 1:20,000, 1:25,000, 1:50,000, 1:75,000, 1:100,000, 1:150,000, 1:200,000, 1:250,000, 1:500,000, or any value lower than, equal to, or higher than, 1:750,000.

[0088] In various embodiments, the removal of fluoroalkyl compounds from water can be carried out as a series of steps including treatment of the feedwater with a metal component that can collect the fluoroalkyl compounds on the surface of particles such as aluminum hydroxide particles. The particles can then be separated (e.g., by sedimentation) to form an aqueous concentrate containing the majority (e.g., 90% or more) of the fluoroalkyl compounds. The aqueous concentrate can then be dehydrated (e.g., with a mechanical press or similar device). The dehydrated solid can then be dissolved at a low pH (e.g., pH 2-3) by adding an acid such as HCl and / or H2SO4, and an acidified solution having a high concentration of metal ions such as aluminum ions can be formed. In the acidified solution, the fluoroalkyl compounds can be dissociated with an acid (neutral species) in equilibrium with their conjugate base (ionic species) in the aqueous phase (C n F m COOH←→C n F m COO - +H + The relationship between the concentrations of two fluoroalkyl compound species (acid vs. conjugate base) is determined by the pH value. Equilibrium can be oriented towards the acid species at low pH (e.g., pH 2-3). The acid species (neutral species) becomes significantly more hydrophobic, promoting an increase in the concentration of the acid species at the water-air interface.

[0089] Under these conditions, acid species of fluoroalkyl compounds can readily migrate to the interfacial region upon addition of air or gas bubbles, forming a foam layer containing the majority of the fluoroalkyl compound molecules (e.g., about 99.99% or more). Removal of the foam from the residual solution can result in selective concentration (e.g., to one-tenth of the original volume of the residual solution), enabling the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., via an electrochemical process or other process), making it more efficient and economically viable. Residual solutions with a low pH (e.g., pH 2-3) may contain high concentrations of metal ions (e.g., aluminum ions), and in this method, these metal ions can be recovered, reused, and recycled for reuse by adding the residual solution to the feedwater.

[0090] In various embodiments, all or part of the residual solution can be recycled for the reuse of the metal component. For the portion that is not recycled, if there are no environmental restrictions on the concentration of the metal component that can be reintroduced, water rich in the metal component can be added to the generated water. For environmental considerations, the pH can be increased with a base (e.g., sodium hydroxide, to a pH of 3.5–4) to precipitate solid aluminum particles. At the elevated pH (e.g., 3.5–4), the metal component can exist in the form of a polymer (e.g., an aluminum-containing polymer) having a high adsorption capacity and a composition similar to the particles formed by the treatment of the feedwater with the metal component.

[0091] The residual solution contains metallic components such as aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The method may further include recirculation of the metallic components, which includes mixing the feedwater with the residual solution before and / or during contact with the feedwater with the metallic components. In various embodiments, the recirculation of the metallic components may further include purging one or more acidic contaminants from the residual solution before mixing the feedwater with the residual solution. In embodiments including the decomposition of a metallic component-treated fluoroalkyl compound, a liquid containing the metallic components can be formed by decomposing the metallic component-treated fluoroalkyl compound in an aqueous concentrate, and the method may further include recirculation of the metallic components, which includes mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing the metallic components before and / or during contact with the feedwater with the metallic components. The recirculation may further include purging one or more acidic contaminants from the liquid containing the metallic components before mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing the metallic components. In various embodiments, the residual solution and a liquid containing metal components can be mixed to form a recirculating flow that is used to purge acidic impurities.

[0092] Purging may include removing one or more contaminating ions originating from acidification from a liquid containing metal components. Purging may also include removing sulfates, chlorides, or combinations thereof from a liquid containing metal components. Purging can reduce or remove the accumulation of contaminants introduced into the recirculation loop via the acidification process, such as sulfates from sulfuric acid or chlorides from hydrochloric acid.

[0093] Purging may include raising the pH of a liquid containing metal components to 3 or less (for example, 1 to 3, or 2 to 3, or 3 or less and 1 or more, and lower than or equal to or higher than 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, or 2.9) and filtering out salts of one or more contaminating ions from the liquid containing metal components. Purging may also include raising the pH of a liquid containing metal components to 3 or less and filtering out solid aluminum sulfate from the liquid containing metal components. Purge may include raising the pH of the liquid containing the metal component to 4 or less (e.g., 3.5 or less, or 1 to 4, or 1 to 3.5, or 3 or less and 1 or more, and lower than or equal to, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, or 3.9, filtering out the solid metal salts of the metal component from the residual liquid, mixing the solid metal salts of the metal component with the feedwater, or dissolving the solid salts in water before adding them to the feedwater. Purge may include raising the pH of a liquid containing metal components to 4 or below, or 3.5 or below; filtering aluminum chloride from the liquid containing metal components; and mixing a solid salt of the metal component with feedwater, or dissolving the solid salt in water before adding it to the feedwater. Purge may be performed continuously or periodically, which can be determined based on measurements of the concentration of impurities in the recirculated flow.

[0094] If sulfates are in excess, the recirculated flow (which may contain metal-containing liquids and / or residual liquids) can be partially neutralized to a pH of approximately 3 or less using a base (e.g., calcium hydroxide), thereby allowing sulfates to precipitate as calcium sulfate, which can then be filtered and removed from the system. If chlorides are in excess, the pH of the recirculated flow can be raised to a range not exceeding 3.5-4 using sodium hydroxide. In this case, the metal ions themselves (e.g., Al) will precipitate and can be filtered and returned to the system. Liquids with a pH of 3.5-4 can be mixed with the generated water in appropriate proportions.

[0095] Figure 10 shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method 1000 for treating feedwater. The method may include subjecting feedwater 1001 containing a fluoroalkyl compound to a pretreatment including basing 1002 (e.g., adding NaOH to bring the pH to approximately 10.5) to produce a based feedwater 1004. The method may also include subjecting the based feedwater 1004 to nitrogen removal 1006 (e.g., adding sodium hypochlorite to remove nitrogen as ammonia) to produce a nitrogen-free feedwater 1008. The nitrogen-free feedwater 808 may optionally have a metallic component added to it via flow 1011 (e.g., in the form of dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds such as aluminum hydroxide, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 1008 is mixed with aluminum ions in the stream 1032 (e.g., dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds such as aluminum hydroxide, or combinations thereof) to form a solid containing the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., a precipitated solid, an aggregated solid, a solid resulting from adding a metal-containing solid to water, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 1008 is subjected to separation process 1010 to produce a clarified aqueous composition 1012 and a solid 1026. A polymer, such as an agglomerating polymer, may be added during or before separation process 1010. In step 1014, the clarified aqueous composition 1012 can be brought into contact with a galvanic cell (e.g., comprising an anode containing aluminum and a cathode containing copper) to produce galvanic cell-treated water 1016 containing the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound. Alternatively, the galvanic cell treatment step may not be present in step 1014, which includes a tank or other container for enabling the production of a metal-component-treated fluoroalkyl compound, for example, for reacting aluminum ions with a fluoroalkyl compound, or for precipitating a salt that absorbs the fluoroalkyl compound onto aluminum ions, or for absorbing the fluoroalkyl compound onto an aluminum salt such as aluminum hydroxide.Before or during step 1014, the method may include adding HCl to the clarified aqueous composition (for example, to bring the pH to about 5.5) and / or adding H2O2. The method may also include separating the treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., galvanically treated, metal ionized, or a combination thereof) from the water 1016 to form product water 1020 with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feed water 1001 (or clarified aqueous composition 1012), and forming an aqueous concentrate 1028 with a higher concentration of the treated fluoroalkyl compound than the product water. The method may also include post-treating the product water 1020 (e.g., by filtration such as ultrafiltration) to form post-treated product water 1024 and solid 1030. The solid impurities 1026 and solid 1030 can be mixed with the aqueous concentrate 1028. The aqueous concentrate is subjected to adjustment 1034 (e.g., by adding H2SO4 to bring the pH to approximately 2) to form an adjusted aqueous concentrate 1035. The adjusted aqueous concentrate 1035 is subjected to secondary separation 1034a (e.g., aeration / foaming) to remove the residual liquid 1037, and thus form an aqueous concentrate 1035a from which the residual liquid has been removed. The residual liquid 1037 may contain metallic components such as aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The residual liquid can be mixed with the liquid stream 1032 to recirculate the metallic components back into the feedwater. The aqueous concentrate 1035a from which the residual liquid has been removed is subjected to contact 1036 with an electrolytic cell to decompose the treated fluoroalkyl compound and thus form an electrolytically treated aqueous composition 1038. The electrolytically treated aqueous composition 1038 can be subjected to preparation (for example, by adding NaOH or Ca(OH)2 to bring the pH to about 6.5-7 and adding an agglomerating polymer) to form a prepared electrolytically treated aqueous composition 1038, which can then be subjected to separation 1044 (for example, by filtration) to form a liquid 1032 and a solid 1046. The solid contains a decomposed fluoroalkyl compound.Liquid 1032, which may contain aluminum ions and / or metallic components such as aluminum hydroxide, is subjected to purging 1048 to remove one or more acidic contaminants (e.g., sulfates and / or chlorides) from the water. After purging, liquid 1050 (containing aluminum ions and / or metallic components such as aluminum hydroxide) can be added to the feedwater, for example, before separation 1010.

[0096] Figure 11 shows a block flow diagram illustrating a method 1100 for treating feedwater. The method may include subjecting feedwater 1101 containing a fluoroalkyl compound to a pretreatment including basing 1102 (e.g., adding NaOH to bring the pH to approximately 10.5) to produce a based feedwater 1104. The method may also include subjecting the based feedwater 1104 to nitrogen removal 1106 (e.g., adding sodium hypochlorite to remove nitrogen as ammonia) to produce a nitrogen-free feedwater 1108. The nitrogen-free feedwater 1108 may optionally have a metallic component added to it via flow 1111 (e.g., in the form of dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds such as aluminum hydroxide, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 1108 is mixed with the metal component in the stream 1132 (e.g., in the form of dissolved aluminum ions, aluminum-containing salts that absorb fluoroalkyl compounds such as aluminum hydroxide, or a combination thereof) to form a solid containing the metal component-treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., a precipitated solid, an aggregated solid, a solid resulting from adding a metal-containing solid of the metal component to water, or a combination thereof). The feedwater 1108 is subjected to a separation process 1110 to produce a clarified aqueous composition 1112 and a solid 1126. A polymer, such as an agglomerating polymer, can be added during or before the separation process 1110. In step 1114, the clarified aqueous composition 1112 can be brought into contact with a galvanic cell (e.g., comprising an anode containing aluminum and a cathode containing copper) to produce galvanic cell-treated water 1116 containing the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound.Alternatively, the galvanic cell treatment step may not be present in step 1114, and step 1114 may include a tank or other container for enabling the production of an aluminum-treated fluoroalkyl compound, for example, for reacting a metal component with the fluoroalkyl compound, or for precipitating a salt that absorbs the fluoroalkyl compound into aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, or for absorbing the fluoroalkyl compound into an aluminum salt such as aluminum hydroxide. Before or during step 1114, the method may include adding HCl to the clarified aqueous composition (for example, to bring the pH to about 5.5) and / or adding H2O2. The method may also include separating the treated fluoroalkyl compound (e.g., galvanically treated, metal ion treated, or a combination thereof) from water 1116 to form a product water 1120 with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the feed water 1101 (or clarified aqueous composition 1112), and forming an aqueous concentrate 1128 with a higher concentration of the treated fluoroalkyl compound than the product water. This method may include post-treatment (e.g., filtration such as ultrafiltration) of the generated water 1120 to form post-treated generated water 1124 and solid 1130. Solid impurities 1126 and solid 1130 can be mixed with aqueous concentrate 1128. The aqueous concentrate can be subjected to adjustment 1134 (e.g., adding H2SO4 to bring the pH to approximately 2) to form adjusted aqueous concentrate 1135. The adjusted aqueous concentrate 1135 can be subjected to secondary separation 1134a (e.g., aeration / foaming) to remove residual liquid 1137, and an aqueous concentrate 1135a from which the residual liquid has been removed can be formed. The residual liquid 1137 may contain metallic components such as aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide. The residual liquid can be mixed with liquid stream 1132 to recirculate the metallic components back into the feedwater. The aqueous concentrate 1135a, from which the residual liquid has been removed, is subjected to contact with an electrolytic cell 1136 to decompose the treated fluoroalkyl compound and form an electrolytically treated aqueous composition 1138.The electrolytically treated aqueous composition 1138 can be subjected to separation 1140 (e.g., filtration) to form liquid 1132 and solid 1142. Liquid 1132, which may contain metallic components such as aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, can be subjected to purging 1148 to remove one or more acidic impurities (e.g., sulfates and / or chlorides) from the water. The purged liquid 1150, which may contain metallic components such as aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, can be added to the feedwater, for example, after separation 1110 and before step 1112. The solid can be subjected to adjustment (e.g., adding NaOH or Ca(OH)2 to bring the pH to about 6.5-7) to form solid 1146 containing the decomposed fluoroalkyl compound.

[0097] In Figure 10, some aluminum is lost due to the basitization and coagulation of the electrolytically treated aqueous composition before the liquid is removed from the composition. However, the amount of aluminum lost is less than that of the method shown in Figure 8 due to the secondary separation. The lost aluminum accounts for a significant portion of the operating costs, both in terms of the cost of the aluminum and the additional disposal costs. In Figure 11, the amount of aluminum lost is significantly reduced because the liquid phase of the electrolytically treated aqueous composition is recycled before it is basitized.

[0098] The terms and expressions used are descriptive, not restrictive, and in using such terms and expressions, there is no intention to exclude any equivalents of the features or parts thereof shown and described, but it should be recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, although the invention has been specifically disclosed by certain embodiments and optional features, it should be understood that modifications and variations of the concepts disclosed herein may be made by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations will be considered within the scope of the embodiments of the invention.

[0099] Exemplary embodiments Exemplary embodiments are provided below, but the numbering of embodiments should not be interpreted as indicating importance.

[0100] Embodiment 1 provides a method for treating supply water, and the method is The process involves adding a metal component containing a metal to the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition, wherein the metal component includes ions of the metal, solid or dissolved compounds of the metal, elemental forms of the metal, or combinations thereof.

[0101] Embodiment 2 provides the method according to Embodiment 1, wherein the method is a method for removing or reducing emulsions in feedwater, a method for reducing the turbidity of feedwater, or a combination thereof.

[0102] Embodiment 3 provides the method according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the feedwater contains an emulsion, and the clarifying aqueous composition does not contain an emulsion or has a reduced amount of emulsion compared to the feedwater.

[0103] Embodiment 4 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition has lower turbidity than the feedwater. Embodiment 5 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein a solid is formed by adding a metal component to feedwater, and the method further comprises removing the solid from the metal component-treated composition to form a clarified aqueous composition.

[0104] Embodiment 6 provides the method according to Embodiment 5, wherein the removal of solids includes filtration, gravity sedimentation, decantation, centrifugation, sand removal by hydrochron, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 7 provides the method according to Embodiment 5 or 6, wherein the method is a method for coagulating and / or precipitating suspended solids from feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more organic compounds in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more inorganic compounds in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more dyes and / or inks in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more metals in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more heavy metals in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of phosphorus in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of fluorides in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of sulfides in feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of arsenic in feedwater; a method for reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of feedwater; a method for removing silica (e.g., SiO3) from feedwater. 2- A method for removing or reducing the concentration of ) or a combination thereof.

[0105] Embodiment 8 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 7, wherein the feedwater contains a suspended solid, and the addition of a metal component to the feedwater causes the suspended solid to aggregate to form an aggregated solid.

[0106] Embodiment 9 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 8, wherein a precipitated solid is formed by adding a metal component to the supply water. Embodiment 10 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 9, wherein the feedwater contains one or more organic compounds, and the clarified aqueous composition has a lower concentration of one or more organic compounds compared to the feedwater.

[0107] Embodiment 11 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 10, wherein the feedwater contains one or more inorganic compounds, and the clarified aqueous composition has a lower concentration of one or more inorganic compounds compared to the feedwater.

[0108] Embodiment 12 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 11, wherein the feedwater comprises one or more dyes and / or inks, and the clarified aqueous composition has a lower concentration of the one or more dyes and / or inks compared to the feedwater.

[0109] Embodiment 13 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 12, wherein the feedwater contains one or more metals, and the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower concentration of one or more metals compared to the feedwater.

[0110] Embodiment 14 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 13, wherein the feedwater contains one or more heavy metals, and the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower concentration of one or more heavy metals compared to the feedwater.

[0111] Embodiment 15 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 14, wherein the feedwater contains one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, and the clarified aqueous composition has a lower concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials compared to the feedwater.

[0112] Embodiment 16 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 15, wherein the feedwater contains fluoride, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of fluoride compared to the feedwater. Embodiment 17 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 16, wherein the feedwater contains sulfides, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of sulfides compared to the feedwater.

[0113] Embodiment 18 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 17, wherein the feedwater contains arsenic, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of arsenic compared to the feedwater. Embodiment 19 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 18, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) compared to feedwater.

[0114] Embodiment 20 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 19, wherein the feedwater contains silica, and the clarified aqueous composition has a lower silica concentration compared to the feedwater. Embodiment 21 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 20, wherein the feedwater contains phosphorus, and the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower phosphorus concentration compared to the feedwater.

[0115] Embodiment 22 provides the method according to Embodiment 21, wherein the solid comprises a phosphorus-containing salt in the feedwater. Embodiment 23 provides the method according to Embodiment 21 or 22, wherein the solid comprises AlPO4.

[0116] Embodiment 24 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 23, wherein the phosphorus in the feedwater is in the form of elemental phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, solid phosphorus, oxidized phosphorus, or a combination thereof.

[0117] Embodiment 25 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 24, wherein the feedwater has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.001 ppm to about 10,000 ppm.

[0118] Embodiment 26 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 25, wherein the feedwater has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.01 ppm to about 20 ppm.

[0119] Embodiment 27 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 26, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0 ppm to about 1 ppm.

[0120] Embodiment 28 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 27, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.0001 ppm to about 0.1 ppm.

[0121] Embodiment 29 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 28, wherein the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the clarified aqueous composition is approximately 0% to approximately 70% of the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the feedwater, respectively.

[0122] Embodiment 30 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 29, wherein the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the clarified aqueous composition is approximately 0% to approximately 20% of the total phosphorus concentrate, dissolved phosphorus concentrate, or reactive phosphorus concentrate of the feedwater, respectively.

[0123] Embodiment 31 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 30, wherein the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, and the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound compared to the feedwater.

[0124] Embodiment 32 provides the method according to Embodiment 31, wherein the fluoroalkyl compound is a perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), or a combination thereof.

[0125] Embodiment 33 provides the method according to Embodiment 31 or 32, wherein the fluoroalkyl compound is perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctanesulfonamide)acetic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluoromethylheptanesulfonic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid, branched perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, perfluorododecanoic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0126] Embodiment 34 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 33, wherein the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the clarifying aqueous composition is 0% to 20% of the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the feedwater.

[0127] Embodiment 35 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 34, wherein the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the clarified aqueous composition is 0.001% to 5% of the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the feedwater.

[0128] Embodiment 36 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 35, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 0.001 ppt to 100 ppt. Embodiment 37 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 31 to 36, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 0.001 ppt to 15 ppt.

[0129] Embodiment 38 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 37, wherein the feedwater has a pH of approximately 2 to approximately 14. Embodiment 39 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 38, wherein the feedwater has a pH of about 5 to about 11.

[0130] Embodiment 40 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 39, wherein the feedwater has a pH of about 5 to about 7. Embodiment 41 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 40, wherein the feedwater has a pH of about 10 to about 11.

[0131] Embodiment 42 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 41, wherein the method further comprises adding an acid, a base, or a combination thereof to the feedwater. Embodiment 43 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 42, wherein the method does not involve pH adjustment of the feedwater before adding the metal component to the feedwater.

[0132] Embodiment 44 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 43, wherein the method further comprises adding a cationic polymer to feedwater to form a solid composite comprising a fluoroalkyl compound and a cationic polymer, the cationic polymer being added before, during, or after the addition of a metal component to the feedwater.

[0133] Embodiment 45 provides the method according to Embodiment 44, wherein the cationic polymer is a natural polymer, a synthetic polymer, a cationic polysaccharide, a gum, alginic acid, cellulose, a cellulose derivative, dextran, glycogen, a polyelectrolyte, a polymer containing a quaternary ammonium group, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (polyDADMAC), or a combination thereof.

[0134] Embodiment 46 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 45, wherein the method further comprises adding an oxidizing agent to the feedwater. Embodiment 47 provides the method according to Embodiment 46, wherein the oxidizing agent includes iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals obtained by their decomposition, or combinations thereof.

[0135] Embodiment 48 provides the method according to Embodiment 46 or 47, wherein the addition of an oxidizing agent to the feedwater comprises adding an aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent to the feedwater, the aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent having an oxidizing agent concentration of about 0.001 ppm to about 999,999 ppm.

[0136] Embodiment 49 provides the method according to Embodiment 48, wherein the aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent has an oxidizing agent concentration of about 50,000 ppm to about 140,000 ppm. Embodiment 50 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 49, wherein the metal of the metallic component includes Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, or a combination thereof.

[0137] Embodiment 51 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 50, wherein the metal component includes Al. Embodiment 52 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 51, wherein the metal component includes Mg.

[0138] Embodiment 53 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 52, wherein the addition of a metal component to the feedwater comprises adding a metal salt of the metal component (for example, the metal component is a metal salt such as aluminum hydroxide) to the feedwater.

[0139] Embodiment 54 provides the method according to Embodiment 53, wherein the salt comprises AlCl3, Al(OH)3, AlPO4, Al2(SO4)3, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 55 provides the method according to Embodiment 53 or 54, wherein the salt comprises Al2(SO4)3.

[0140] Embodiment 56 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 55, wherein the addition of a metal component to the feedwater comprises adding an aqueous solution of a metal salt of the metal component to the feedwater. Embodiment 57 provides the method according to Embodiment 56, wherein the aqueous solution of the salt has a metal concentration of 0.001 ppm to about 999,999 ppm.

[0141] Embodiment 58 provides the method according to Embodiment 56 or 57, wherein the aqueous solution of the salt has a metal concentration of 50,000 ppm to about 140,000 ppm. Embodiment 59 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 56 to 58, wherein the volume ratio of the aqueous solution of the salt added to the feedwater to the feedwater is 5:1 to 1:1000.

[0142] Embodiment 60 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 56 to 59, wherein the volume ratio of the aqueous solution of the salt added to the feedwater to the feedwater is 2:1 to 1:10. Embodiment 61 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 60, wherein the metal component is produced by a galvanic cell or an electrolytic cell.

[0143] Embodiment 62 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 61, further comprising reusing at least a portion of the metal components in the clarifying aqueous composition, the solids removed from the feedwater, or both, as 1% to 100% by weight of the metal components added to the feedwater.

[0144] Embodiment 63 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 62, further comprising reusing at least a portion of the metallic components in the clarifying aqueous composition, the solids removed from the feedwater, or both, as metallic components added to the feedwater.

[0145] Embodiment 64 provides a method according to either Embodiment 62 or 63, wherein the method includes reusing 0.01% to 100% by weight of the metal component in the clarifying aqueous composition, the solid removed from the feedwater, or both, as a metal component added to the feedwater.

[0146] Embodiment 65 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 62 to 64, wherein the method includes reusing 50% to 100% by weight of the metal component in the clarifying aqueous composition, the solid removed from the feedwater, or both, as a metal component added to the feedwater.

[0147] Embodiment 66 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 65, wherein a clarified aqueous composition with a low concentration of solids is formed by removing solids from the feedwater, and an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of solids is also formed.

[0148] Embodiment 67 provides the method according to Embodiment 66, wherein the aqueous concentrate includes an extract, foam, filtration residue, separated precipitate, slurry, sludge, wet precipitate, or a combination thereof.

[0149] Embodiment 68 provides the method of Embodiment 66 or 67, wherein the aqueous concentrate comprises a metal component added to the feedwater, and the method further comprises reusing the metal component in the aqueous concentrate as a metal component added to the feedwater.

[0150] Embodiment 69 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 66 to 68, wherein the method further comprises acidifying the aqueous concentrate to bring the pH of the aqueous concentrate to 0.5 to 5. Embodiment 70 provides the method according to Embodiment 69, wherein the acidification is sufficient to at least partially dissolve one or more salts containing metal of the metal component added to the feedwater.

[0151] Embodiment 71 provides the method according to Embodiment 69 or 70, the method further comprising removing solids from the acidified aqueous concentrate and reusing the metal components in the acidified aqueous concentrate as metal components added to the feedwater.

[0152] Embodiment 72 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 69 to 71, wherein the feedwater comprises a fluoroalkyl compound and the solid comprises a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound formed by adding a metal component to the feedwater.

[0153] Embodiment 73 provides the method of Embodiment 72, wherein the method further comprises carrying out a secondary separation to concentrate a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound in the acidified aqueous concentrate by separating a residual solution from the acidified aqueous concentrate, and forming a residual solution separated from the acidified aqueous concentrate.

[0154] Embodiment 74 provides the method according to Embodiment 73, wherein the secondary separation includes filtration, precipitation, extraction, aeration, decantation, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 75 provides the method according to Embodiment 73 or 74, wherein the secondary separation includes aerating the aqueous concentrate to form foam in the aqueous concentrate.

[0155] Embodiment 76 provides the method according to claim 75, wherein the secondary separation includes separating the residual solution from the foam. Embodiment 77 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 73 to 76, wherein the ratio of the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate after removal of the residual solution to the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate before removal of the residual solution is 1:100,000 to 1:1.

[0156] Embodiment 78 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 73 to 77, wherein the ratio of the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate after removal of the residual solution to the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate before removal of the residual solution is 1:10,000 to 1:5.

[0157] Embodiment 79 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 73 to 78, wherein the ratio of the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate after removal of residual solution to the volume of the feedwater is 1:1,000,000 to 1:1.

[0158] Embodiment 80 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 73 to 79, wherein the ratio of the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate after removal of residual solution to the volume of the feedwater is 1:100,000 to 1:10.

[0159] Embodiment 81 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 73 to 80, wherein the residual solution comprises a metal component, and the method further comprises recirculation of the metal component, which includes mixing the feed water with the residual solution before or during contact between the feed water and the metal component.

[0160] Embodiment 82 provides the method according to claim 81, wherein the recirculation of the metal component further comprises purging one or more acidifying contaminants from the residual solution before mixing the feedwater with the residual solution.

[0161] Embodiment 83 provides the method according to Embodiment 82, wherein purging includes removing sulfates, chlorides, or combinations thereof from the residual solution. Embodiment 84 provides the method according to Embodiment 82 or 83, wherein purging includes raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 3 or less and filtering out salts of one or more contaminating ions from the residual solution.

[0162] Embodiment 85 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 82 to 84, wherein purging comprises raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 3 or less and filtering out solid aluminum sulfate from the residual solution.

[0163] Embodiment 86 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 82 to 85, wherein purging includes raising the pH of the residual solution metal component to 4 or less or 3.5 or less, filtering out the solid metal salt of the metal component from the residual liquid, and mixing the solid metal salt of the metal component with feedwater.

[0164] Embodiment 87 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 82 to 86, wherein purging comprises raising the pH of the residual solution to 4 or less or 3.5 or less, filtering aluminum chloride from the residual solution, and mixing a solid salt of the metal component with the feedwater.

[0165] Embodiment 88 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 71 to 87, wherein the method further comprises adding a base to the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solid has been removed to bring the pH of the aqueous concentrate to 3 to 6.

[0166] Embodiment 89 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 69 to 88, wherein the feedwater and the aqueous concentrate after acidification comprise a fluoroalkyl compound, and the method further comprises decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound.

[0167] Embodiment 90 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 5 to 89, wherein the feedwater comprises a fluoroalkyl compound, and the solid comprises a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound formed by adding a metal component to the feedwater, the method further comprising decomposing the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound.

[0168] Embodiment 91 provides the method of Embodiment 90, wherein a liquid containing a metal component is formed by decomposing a metal component-treated fluoroalkyl compound in an aqueous concentrate, the method further comprising a recirculation of the metal component, which includes mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing the metal component before contacting the feedwater with the metal component, the recirculation of the metal component further comprising purging one or more acidifying impurities from the liquid containing the metal component before mixing the feedwater with the liquid containing the metal component.

[0169] Embodiment 92 provides the method according to Embodiment 91, wherein purging includes removing one or more contaminating ions originating from acidification from a liquid containing a metal component. Embodiment 93 provides the method according to Embodiment 91 or 92, wherein purging includes removing sulfates, chlorides, or combinations thereof from a liquid containing a metal component.

[0170] Embodiment 94 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 91 to 93, wherein purging includes raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 3 or less and filtering out salts of one or more contaminating ions from the liquid containing the metal component.

[0171] Embodiment 95 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 91 to 94, wherein purging includes raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 3 or less and filtering out solid aluminum sulfate from the liquid containing the metal component.

[0172] Embodiment 96 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 91 to 95, wherein purging comprises raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 4 or less or 3.5 or less, filtering out a solid metal salt of the metal component from the residual liquid, and mixing the solid metal salt of the metal component with feedwater.

[0173] Embodiment 97 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 91 to 96, wherein purging comprises raising the pH of a liquid containing a metal component to 4 or less or 3.5 or less, filtering aluminum chloride from the liquid containing the metal component, and mixing the solid metal salt of the metal component with feedwater.

[0174] Embodiment 98 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 90 to 97, wherein the decomposition of a fluoroalkyl compound or a fluoroalkyl compound treated with a metal component includes heat treatment, electrolytic cell, plasma reactor, treatment with supercritical water, combustion, chemical treatment, or a combination thereof.

[0175] Embodiment 99 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 90 to 98, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate comprises decomposing 60% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate.

[0176] Embodiment 100 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 90 to 99, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate comprises decomposing 95% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate.

[0177] Embodiment 101 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 90 to 100, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound includes heat treatment. Embodiment 102 provides the method according to Embodiment 101, wherein the heat treatment includes heating to a treatment temperature of 1000°C to 5000°C.

[0178] Embodiment 103 provides the method according to Embodiment 101 or 102, wherein the heat treatment includes heating to a treatment temperature of 1400°C to 2000°C. Embodiment 104 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 101 to 103, wherein the heat treatment includes heating to a treatment temperature of 1500°C or higher.

[0179] Embodiment 105 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 101 to 104, wherein the heat treatment comprises maintaining the fluoroalkyl compound at a treatment temperature for a duration of 0.1 seconds to 24 hours.

[0180] Embodiment 106 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 90 to 105, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound comprises treatment with an electrolytic cell comprising an electrolytic anode and an electrolytic cathode.

[0181] Embodiment 107 provides the method according to Embodiment 106, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound further comprises acidifying the aqueous solution containing the solid before treatment with an electrolytic cell to bring the pH of the aqueous solution to 0.5-5.

[0182] Embodiment 108 provides the method according to Embodiment 106 or 107, wherein the acidification of the aqueous solution is sufficient to dissolve the metal component in the aqueous concentrate. Embodiment 109 provides the method according to Embodiment 108, wherein the metallic component comprises aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide.

[0183] Embodiment 110 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 109, wherein an electrolytically treated composition comprising a solid and a liquid is formed by treatment with an electrolytic cell. Embodiment 111 provides the method of Embodiment 110, wherein the liquid comprises a metal component added to feedwater, and the method further comprises separating the liquid from the solid and reusing the metal component as a metal component added to feedwater.

[0184] Embodiment 112 provides the method of Embodiment 111, wherein the metallic component comprises aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, and the liquid comprises aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, the method further comprising separating the liquid from the solid and recirculating the aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, which includes mixing the liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide with feedwater.

[0185] Embodiment 113 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 112, wherein the method further comprises adding a base to a liquid separated from a solid to bring the pH of the liquid to 3 to 6.

[0186] Embodiment 114 provides the method according to Embodiment 113, wherein the method includes adding a base to a liquid separated from a solid to bring the pH of the liquid to 5.5-8. Embodiment 115 provides the method according to Embodiment 113 or 114, wherein the method further comprises filtering an electrolytically treated composition to which a base has been added, and adding the resulting liquid to feedwater.

[0187] Embodiment 116 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 115, wherein the method comprises treating a fluoroalkyl compound with an electrolytic cell for a duration of 1 second to 24 hours.

[0188] Embodiment 117 provides the method according to Embodiment 116, wherein the duration is 50 to 200 minutes. Embodiment 118 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 117, wherein the electrolytic anode comprises an anode material including a metal oxide, a transition metal oxide, a mixed metal oxide (MMO), Ti4O7, PbO2, boron-doped diamond (BDD), SnO2, Bi2O3, RuO2, IrO2, Ta2O5, a noble metal, platinum (e.g., a platinum coating on titanium), PtO2, MnO2, CeO2, Rh2O3, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. For example, the electrolytic anode may include RuO2 and IrO2, or PbO2 and Bi2O3, or may include IrO2, RuO2, PtO2, and Rh2O3. The electrolytic anode may be entirely formed of anode material (e.g., without a catalyst coating), or it may include a coating or deposition (e.g., as a catalyst coating) of anode material on a suitable substrate such as titanium, stainless steel, carbon steel, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. The catalyst coating may be provided on one or both main surfaces of the electrolytic anode.

[0189] Embodiment 119 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 118, wherein the electrolytic cathode includes stainless steel, titanium, carbon (e.g., BDD, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof), carbon steel, precious metals, platinum, nickel, iron, copper, silver, or a combination thereof. The electrolytic cathode may be formed entirely of the cathode material (e.g., without a catalyst coating), or it may include a coating of the cathode material (e.g., as a catalyst coating) on ​​a suitable substrate such as titanium, stainless steel, carbon steel, Pt, Ni, Fe, Cu, Ag, carbon, or a combination thereof. The catalyst coating may be provided on one or both main surfaces of the electrolytic cathode.

[0190] Embodiment 120 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 119, wherein the treatment by the electrolytic cell is 5 to 500 mA / cm². 2This includes applying a voltage between the electrolytic anode and the electrolytic cathode sufficient to generate the current density.

[0191] Embodiment 121 provides the method according to Embodiment 120, wherein the voltage is 10-40 mA / cm². 2 This is sufficient to generate the current density. Embodiment 122 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 106 to 121, wherein the method further comprises adding an additive to an aqueous concentrate before or during treatment with an electrolytic cell, the additive comprising H2SO4, HCl, K2SO4, Na2SO4, Na2S2O8, KHSO5, H2O2, NaCl, KCl, or a combination thereof.

[0192] Embodiment 123 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 66 to 122, wherein the method further comprises removing water from an aqueous concentrate to form a dry impurity composition containing a fluoroalkyl compound, and further comprising decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate, which includes decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound in the dry impurity composition.

[0193] Embodiment 124 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 123, wherein the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, and the feedwater to which a metal component is added contains foam containing a fluoroalkyl compound.

[0194] Embodiment 125 provides the method according to Embodiment 124, wherein the bubbles include bubbles added to the solution using a bubbler. Embodiment 126 provides the method according to Embodiment 125, wherein the bubbles added to the solution using a bubbler include air, an inert gas, nitrogen, hydrogen, a noble gas, helium-argon, xenon, or a combination thereof.

[0195] Embodiment 127 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 124 to 126, wherein the foam has a higher concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the rest of the feedwater. Embodiment 128 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 124 to 127, wherein the method further comprises removing foam from feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition, the aqueous concentrate containing foam.

[0196] Embodiment 129 provides the method of Embodiment 128, wherein foam removal includes scraping foam from the top of the feedwater, scooping foam from the top of the feedwater, sucking foam from the top of the feedwater, filtering foam from the feedwater, decanting foam from the feedwater, or a combination thereof.

[0197] Embodiment 130 provides the method according to Embodiment 129, wherein foam removal includes scraping and / or scooping the foam from the top of the feed. Embodiment 131 provides the method according to Embodiment 128 or 129, wherein the method further comprises forming broken bubbles by breaking the bubbles, filtering the bubbles, or a combination thereof.

[0198] Embodiment 132 provides the method according to Embodiment 131, wherein the bursting of the bubbles includes applying a vacuum, applying heat, leaving the bubbles for a certain duration, or a combination thereof.

[0199] Embodiment 133 provides the method according to Embodiment 131 or 132, wherein the method further comprises filtering the destroyed foam to form a residue containing a fluoroalkyl compound, the residue having a higher concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the filtrate formed during filtration.

[0200] Embodiment 134 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 133, wherein the method does not involve treating the feedwater or clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell.

[0201] Embodiment 135 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 133, wherein the method further comprises treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form product water. Embodiment 136 provides the method according to Embodiment 135, wherein the treatment of the clarifying aqueous composition is to remove or reduce emulsions in the clarifying aqueous composition, reduce the turbidity of the clarifying aqueous composition, or a combination thereof.

[0202] Embodiment 137 provides the method according to Embodiment 135 or 136, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains an emulsion, and the generated water does not contain an emulsion or has a reduced amount of emulsion compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0203] Embodiment 138 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 137, wherein the generated water has lower turbidity than the clarified aqueous composition. Embodiment 139 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 138, wherein a clarified aqueous composition is treated with a galvanic cell to form a galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid, and the method further comprises removing the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid from the galvanically treated clarified aqueous composition to form product water.

[0204] Embodiment 140 provides the method according to Embodiment 139, wherein the removal of galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solids includes filtration, gravity sedimentation, decantation, centrifugation, sand removal hydrochron, or a combination thereof.

[0205] Embodiment 141 provides the method according to Embodiment 139 or 140, wherein by treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, a suspended solid solid is solidified and / or precipitated from the clarified aqueous composition, one or more organic compounds in the clarified aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, one or more inorganic compounds in the clarified aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, one or more dyes and / or inks in the clarified aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, one or more metals in the clarified aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, one or more heavy metals in the clarified aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced The concentration of is reduced, or one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials in the clarifying aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, or phosphorus in the clarifying aqueous composition is removed or its concentration is reduced, or fluoroalkyl compounds in the clarifying aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, or fluorides in the clarifying aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, or sulfides in the clarifying aqueous composition are removed or their concentration is reduced, or arsenic in the clarifying aqueous composition is removed or its concentration is reduced, or the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the clarifying aqueous composition is reduced, or silica (e.g., SiO3) in the clarifying aqueous composition is removed 2- ) is removed or its concentration is reduced, or a combination of these occurs.

[0206] Embodiment 142 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 141, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition comprises a suspended solid, and by treating the clarifying aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, the suspended solid aggregates to form an aggregated solid.

[0207] Embodiment 143 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 142, wherein a precipitated solid is formed by treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell. Embodiment 144 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 143, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains one or more organic compounds, and the generated water has a lower concentration of one or more organic compounds compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0208] Embodiment 145 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 144, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition comprises one or more inorganic compounds, and the generated water has a lower concentration of one or more inorganic compounds compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0209] Embodiment 146 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 145, wherein the clarified aqueous composition comprises one or more dyes and / or inks, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of the one or more dyes and / or inks compared to the clarified aqueous composition.

[0210] Embodiment 147 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 146, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains one or more metals, and the generated water has a lower concentration of one or more metals compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0211] Embodiment 148 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 147, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains one or more heavy metals, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more heavy metals compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0212] Embodiment 149 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 148, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition comprises one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0213] Embodiment 150 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 149, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains a fluoride, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of fluoride compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0214] Embodiment 151 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 150, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains a sulfide, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of sulfide compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0215] Embodiment 152 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 151, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains arsenic, and the aqueous composition has a lower concentration of arsenic compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0216] Embodiment 153 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 152, wherein the generated water has a lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) compared to the clarified aqueous composition. Embodiment 154 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 153, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains silica, and the generated water has a lower silica concentration compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0217] Embodiment 155 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 154, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition contains phosphorus, and the resulting water has a lower phosphorus concentration compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0218] Embodiment 156 provides the method according to Embodiment 155, wherein the solid comprises a phosphorus-containing salt in the clarifying aqueous composition. Embodiment 157 provides the method according to Embodiment 155 or 156, wherein the solid comprises AlPO4.

[0219] Embodiment 158 ​​provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 157, wherein the phosphorus in the clarifying aqueous composition is in the form of elemental phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus, a dissolved form of phosphorus, a solid form of phosphorus, an oxidized form of phosphorus, or a combination thereof.

[0220] Embodiment 159 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 158, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.001 ppm to about 10,000 ppm.

[0221] Embodiment 160 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 159, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.01 ppm to about 20 ppm.

[0222] Embodiment 161 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 160, wherein the generated water has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0 ppm to about 1 ppm.

[0223] Embodiment 160 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 161, wherein the generated water has a total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of about 0.0001 ppm to about 0.1 ppm.

[0224] Embodiment 161 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 160, wherein the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the generated water is approximately 0% to approximately 70% of the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the clarified aqueous composition.

[0225] Embodiment 162 provides the method according to any one of Embodiments 155 to 161, wherein the total phosphorus concentration, dissolved phosphorus concentration, or reactive phosphorus concentration of the generated water is approximately 0% to approximately 20% of the total phosphorus concentrate, dissolved phosphorus concentrate, or reactive phosphorus concentrate in the feedwater, respectively.

[0226] Embodiment 163 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 162, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition comprises a fluoroalkyl compound, and the resulting water has a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound compared to the clarifying aqueous composition.

[0227] Embodiment 164 provides the method according to Embodiment 163, wherein the fluoroalkyl compound is a perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), or a combination thereof.

[0228] Embodiment 165 provides the method according to Embodiment 163 or 164, wherein the fluoroalkyl compound is perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctanesulfonamide)acetic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluoromethylheptanesulfonic acid, n-perfluorooctanoic acid, branched perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluoroundecanoic acid, perfluorododecanoic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0229] Embodiment 166 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 165, wherein the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the generated water is 0% to 20% of the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the clarified aqueous composition.

[0230] Embodiment 167 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 166, wherein the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the generated water is 0.001% to 5% of the concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound in the clarified aqueous composition.

[0231] Embodiment 168 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 167, wherein the feedwater and / or clarified aqueous composition has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 1 ppt to 100 ppm.

[0232] Embodiment 169 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 168, wherein the feedwater and / or clarified aqueous composition has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 20 ppt to 1 ppm.

[0233] Embodiment 170 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 169, wherein the generated water has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 0.001 ppt to 100 ppt. Embodiment 171 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 163 to 170, wherein the generated water has a fluoroalkyl compound concentration of 0.001 ppt to 15 ppt.

[0234] Embodiment 172 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 171, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a pH of about 2 to about 14. Embodiment 173 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 172, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a pH of about 5 to about 11.

[0235] Embodiment 174 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 173, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a pH of about 5 to about 7. Embodiment 175 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 174, wherein the clarified aqueous composition has a pH of about 10 to about 11.

[0236] Embodiment 176 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 135 to 175, wherein the method further comprises adding an acid, a base, or a combination thereof to a clarifying aqueous composition.

[0237] Embodiment 177 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 113 to 176, wherein the method does not involve pH adjustment of the clarified aqueous composition before treatment with a galvanic cell. Embodiment 178 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 113 to 177, wherein the method further comprises adding an oxidizing agent to a clarifying aqueous composition.

[0238] Embodiment 179 provides the method according to Embodiment 178, wherein the oxidizing agent includes iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals obtained by their decomposition, or combinations thereof.

[0239] Embodiment 180 provides the method according to Embodiment 178 or 179, wherein the addition of an oxidizing agent to the clarifying aqueous composition comprises adding an aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent to the clarifying aqueous composition, the aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent having an oxidizing agent concentration of about 0.001 ppm to about 999,999 ppm.

[0240] Embodiment 181 provides the method according to Embodiment 180, wherein the aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent has an oxidizing agent concentration of about 50,000 ppm to about 140,000 ppm. Embodiment 182 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 113 to 181, wherein the clarifying aqueous composition comprises a fluoroalkyl compound, and by treating the clarifying aqueous composition with a galvanic cell, galvanic cell-treated water containing the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound is formed, and the method further comprises separating the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound from the galvanic cell-treated water to form generated water with a lower concentration than the clarifying aqueous composition, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound than the generated water.

[0241] Embodiment 183 provides the method according to Embodiment 182, wherein the galvanic cell-treated fluoroalkyl compound includes oxidation products of the fluoroalkyl compound, complexes formed between the fluoroalkyl compound and one or more ions formed by the galvanic cell, reaction products between the fluoroalkyl compound and one or more ions formed by the galvanic cell, or combinations thereof.

[0242] Embodiment 184 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 113 to 183, wherein the treatment of the clarified aqueous composition by a galvanic cell is carried out in a plug flow reactor or a tank.

[0243] Embodiment 185 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 113 to 184, wherein the galvanic cell is an anode containing Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, or combinations thereof, The cathode has a different composition from the anode. The cathode comprises Al, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Sn, Pb, Cu, Ag, Co, Mn, Pd, Ag, carbon, or a combination thereof.

[0244] Embodiment 186 provides the method according to Embodiment 185, wherein the anode comprises Al and the cathode comprises Cu. Embodiment 187 provides the method according to Embodiment 185 or 186, wherein the anode is 90% to 100% by weight of Al and the cathode is 90% to 100% by weight of Cu.

[0245] Embodiment 188 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 187, wherein the galvanic cell comprises one or fewer anodes and one or fewer cathodes. Embodiment 189 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 188, wherein the galvanic cell comprises a plurality of anodes and a plurality of cathodes.

[0246] Embodiment 190 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 189, wherein the cathode is plated and / or deposited on the surface of the anode. Embodiment 191 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 190, wherein the cathode and / or anode comprises plating and / or deposition thereon of Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, V, Ce, Sn, Pb, Ag, Co, Mn, Pd, Mo, or a combination thereof.

[0247] Embodiment 192 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 191, wherein the anode comprises Cu plated and / or deposited on its surface, the cathode comprises Cu, and the cathode is not plated or deposited on the anode which comprises Al.

[0248] Embodiment 193 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 192, wherein the anode and cathode are in physical contact with each other. Embodiment 194 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 193, wherein the anode and cathode are not in physical contact with each other.

[0249] Embodiment 195 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 194, wherein the anode and cathode independently include a rod, bar, tube, sheet, plate, inclined plate, strip, non-porous material, porous material, screen, wire mesh, or a combination thereof.

[0250] Embodiment 196 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 195, wherein the anode and cathode are a rod, a bar, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 197 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 196, wherein the anode is a strip and the cathode is a porous material.

[0251] Embodiment 198 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 197, wherein the porous material includes a screen, a wire mesh, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 199 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 198, wherein the anode and cathode have a gap between them, the gap being 1 mm to 110 mm.

[0252] Embodiment 200 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 199, wherein the gap is 2 mm to 30 mm. Embodiment 201 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 200, wherein the galvanic cell comprises a conductive connector that electrically and physically connects an anode and a cathode, the conductive connector maintaining a gap between the anode and the cathode.

[0253] Embodiment 202 provides a method according to any one of embodiments 185 to 201, wherein the galvanic cell comprises a non-conductive connector that physically connects the anode and the cathode. Aspect 203 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 185 to 202, where the non-conductive connector includes plastic, glass, rubber, or a combination thereof, and / or the non-conductive connector includes a conductive connector coated with a non-conductive material.

[0254] Aspect 204 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 185 to 203, where the non-conductive connector includes a weld, a fastener, a fastener assembly, a threaded fastener, a screw, a bolt, a bracket, a nut, a washer, or a combination thereof.

[0255] Aspect 205 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 185 to 204, where the galvanic cell includes a conductive connector that electrically and physically connects the anode and the cathode.

[0256] Aspect 206 provides the method according to Aspect 205, where the conductive connector includes Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Sn, Pb, or a combination thereof. Aspect 207 provides the method according to Aspect 205 or 206, where the conductive connector includes brass, stainless steel, or a combination thereof.

[0257] Aspect 208 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 205 to 207, where the conductive connector includes a weld, a fastener, a fastener assembly, a threaded fastener, a screw, a bolt, a bracket, a nut, a washer, or a combination thereof.

[0258] Aspect 209 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 208, where the method further includes treating the supply water or the clarified aqueous composition with UV light before or during adding a metal component to the supply composition, or before or during treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell.

[0259] Embodiment 210 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 209, wherein the method further comprises treating the clarifying aqueous composition with UV light before or during contact with the clarifying composition to a galvanic cell.

[0260] Embodiment 211 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 210, wherein the UV light has a wavelength of less than 254 nm. Embodiment 212 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 185 to 211, wherein the UV light has a wavelength of 180 nm to 220 nm.

[0261] Embodiment 213 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 139 to 212, wherein the galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid is removed from the clarified aqueous composition to form a product water with a low concentration of galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid, and also to form an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid.

[0262] Embodiment 214 provides the method according to Embodiment 213, wherein the aqueous concentrate includes an extract, foam, filtration residue, separated precipitate, slurry, sludge, wet precipitate, or a combination thereof.

[0263] Embodiment 215 provides the method of Embodiment 213 or 214, wherein the aqueous concentrate comprises a metal component added to the feedwater, and the method further comprises reusing the metal component in the aqueous concentrate as a metal component added to the feedwater.

[0264] Embodiment 216 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 213 to 215, wherein the method further comprises acidifying the aqueous concentrate to bring the pH of the aqueous concentrate to 0.5 to 5.

[0265] Embodiment 217 provides the method of Embodiment 216, wherein the acidification is sufficient to at least partially dissolve one or more salts containing metal of the metal component added to the feedwater. Embodiment 218 provides the method of Embodiment 216 or 217, which further comprises removing solids from the acidified aqueous concentrate and reusing the metal components in the acidified aqueous concentrate as metal components added to the feedwater.

[0266] Embodiment 219 provides the method according to Embodiment 218, further comprising adding a base to the acidified aqueous concentrate from which the solids have been removed to bring the pH of the aqueous concentrate to 3-6.

[0267] Embodiment 220 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 213 to 219, wherein the clarified aqueous composition and aqueous concentrate comprise a fluoroalkyl compound, and the method further comprises decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound.

[0268] Embodiment 221 provides the method according to Embodiment 220, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound includes heat treatment, electrolytic cell, plasma reactor, supercritical water treatment, combustion, chemical treatment, or a combination thereof.

[0269] Embodiment 222 provides the method according to Embodiment 220 or 221, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate comprises decomposing 60% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate.

[0270] Embodiment 223 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 220 to 222, wherein the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate comprises 95% to 100% by weight of the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate.

[0271] Embodiment 224 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 223, wherein the method further comprises pre-treating the feedwater before and / or during the addition of the metal component to the feedwater.

[0272] Embodiment 225 provides the method according to Embodiment 224, wherein the pretreatment includes adjusting the pH of the feedwater, adding one or more additives to the feedwater, filtering the feedwater, allowing sediment to settle from the feedwater, removing nitrogen from the feedwater (for example, through electrochemical treatment of water to remove nitrogen as ammonia or treatment with an oxidizing agent such as sedum hypochlorite), removing phosphorus from the feedwater, treating the feedwater with a pretreatment galvanic cell, or a combination thereof.

[0273] Embodiment 226 provides the method according to Embodiment 224 or 225, wherein the pretreatment comprises adding one or more additives to the feedwater, the one or more additives including polymer flocculants, radical precursors, hydrogen peroxide, persulfates, oxidizing agents, sodium hypochlorite, NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, or a combination thereof.

[0274] Embodiment 227 provides the method according to Embodiment 226, wherein one or more additives are HOOH, O3, S2O8 - , I - CO3 2- , HCO3 - H2PO4 - HPO4 2- , PO4 3- HSO5 - , or a combination thereof, including radical precursors.

[0275] Embodiment 228 provides the method according to Embodiment 226 or 227, wherein the oxidizing agent includes iron salts, ozone, ferric chloride (FeCl3), potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate, perchloric acid, peracetic acid, potassium monosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, hydroxides, sulfites, free radicals from their decomposition, or combinations thereof.

[0276] Embodiment 229 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 224 to 228, wherein the pretreatment includes adjusting the pH of the feedwater to 2 to 12. Aspect 230 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 224 to 229, where the pretreatment includes adding a base to the feed water to make the pH of the feed water 9.5 to 11.5.

[0277] Aspect 231 provides the method according to Aspect 230, where the pretreatment further includes filtering the feed water to which the base has been added, and the metal component is added to the filtered water. Aspect 232 provides the method according to Aspect 231, where the method further includes adding the solids removed during the filtration of the feed water to which the base has been added to the aqueous concentrate.

[0278] Aspect 233 provides the method according to Aspect 230 or 231, where the pretreatment further includes removing nitrogen as ammonia from the feed water after adding a base to the feed water. Aspect 234 provides the method according to Aspect 233, where the removal of nitrogen includes mixing the feed water with an oxidizing agent.

[0279] Aspect 235 provides the method according to Aspect 234, where the oxidizing agent includes sodium hypochlorite. Aspect 236 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 233 to 235, where the method further includes filtering the feed water from which nitrogen has been removed as ammonia, and the metal component is added to the filtered feed water.

[0280] Aspect 237 provides the method according to Aspect 236, where the method further includes adding the solids to be removed during the filtration of the feed water from which nitrogen has been removed as ammonia to the aqueous concentrate.

[0281] Aspect 238 provides the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 237, where the metal component is added to the feed water before any pretreatment, after adding a base, after adding a base and removing nitrogen as ammonia, or in combination thereof.

[0282] Embodiment 239 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 238, wherein the metal component is added to the feedwater after the addition of a base. Embodiment 240 provides a method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 239, wherein the metal component is added to the feedwater after a base has been added to the feedwater and nitrogen has been removed from the feedwater as ammonia.

[0283] Embodiment 241 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: A metal component containing a metal is added to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound in the feedwater. To remove solids from the feedwater and form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds than the feedwater. The metallic components include metal ions, metal dissolves or solid compounds, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0284] Embodiment 242 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: Adding metal components to phosphorus-containing feedwater to form a solid containing phosphorus-containing salts in the feedwater, To remove solids from the feedwater and form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower phosphorus concentration than the feedwater. The metallic components include metal ions, metal dissolves or solid compounds, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0285] Embodiment 243 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: Adding a metal component containing metal to feedwater containing phosphorus to form a phosphorus-containing solid in the feedwater, To remove solids from the feedwater and form a clarified aqueous composition containing phosphorus at a lower concentration than that of the feedwater, The clarified aqueous composition is treated with a galvanic cell to form a galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid containing phosphorus from the clarified aqueous composition. The galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid is removed from the clarifying aqueous composition to form a product water with a lower phosphorus concentration than the clarifying aqueous composition. The metallic components include metal ions, metal dissolves or solid compounds, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0286] Embodiment 244 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: The process involves adding a metal component containing metal to the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition, The process involves treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form generated water. The metallic components include metal ions, solid or dissolved compounds of metal, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0287] Embodiment 245 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: The process involves adding a metal component containing metal to the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition, The process involves treating a clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form generated water. The metal component includes metal ions, dissolved or solid compounds of metal, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof, and the generated water has reduced emulsion, reduced turbidity, or combinations thereof compared to the feedwater.

[0288] Embodiment 246 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: Adding metal components containing metal to the supply water to form a solid, To remove solids from the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition, The clarified aqueous composition is treated with a galvanic cell to form a solid that is galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated, The galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid is removed from the clarifying aqueous composition to form the generated water. The metallic components include metal ions, metal dissolves or solid compounds, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof.

[0289] Embodiment 247 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: Adding metal components containing metal to the supply water to form a solid, To remove solids from the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition, The clarified aqueous composition is treated with a galvanic cell to form a solid that is galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated, The galvanically precipitated and / or aggregated solid is removed from the clarifying aqueous composition to form the generated water. The product contains, and the metallic components include metal ions, solid or dissolved metal compounds, elemental forms of metal, or combinations thereof. Compared to the feedwater, the generated water exhibits a decrease in the concentration of one or more organic compounds, one or more inorganic compounds, one or more dyes and / or inks, one or more metals, one or more heavy metals, one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials, phosphorus, fluoroalkyl compounds, sulfides, arsenic, silica, chemical oxygen demand (COD), or combinations thereof.

[0290] Embodiment 248 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: The process includes adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the metal component-treated fluoroalkyl compound, The process involves removing solids from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of solids than the clarified aqueous composition. Acidifying the aqueous concentrate, The process involves performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification, and concentrating the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compounds in the aqueous concentrate. Before or during processing, add the metal components in the residual solution to the feedwater. The metallic components include aluminum ions, dissolved or solid compounds of aluminum, elemental forms of aluminum, or combinations thereof.

[0291] Embodiment 249 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: The process includes adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the metal component-treated fluoroalkyl compound, The process involves removing solids from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of solids than the clarified aqueous composition. Acidifying the aqueous concentrate, The process involves performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification, and concentrating the metal-treated fluoroalkyl compounds in the aqueous concentrate. Purging one or more acidic contaminants from a liquid containing metal components, Before or during processing, add the metal component from the liquid containing the metal component to the feedwater. The metallic components include aluminum ions, solid or dissolved compounds of aluminum, elemental forms of aluminum, or combinations thereof.

[0292] Embodiment 250 provides a method for treating supply water, the method being: The process includes adding aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing a fluoroalkyl compound treated with metal components, The process involves removing solids from the feedwater to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of fluoroalkyl compounds than the feedwater, and forming an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of solids than the clarified aqueous composition. Acidifying the aqueous concentrate, Decomposing metal-treated fluoroalkyl compounds in aqueous concentrates to form a liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, Purging one or more acidic contaminants from a liquid containing aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide, The recirculation of aluminum ions and / or aluminum hydroxide includes mixing a liquid containing metal components with feedwater before or during processing. Includes.

[0293] Embodiment 251 provides a method for any one of Embodiments 1 to 250 or any combination thereof, wherein all elements or options described herein are optionally configured to be usable or selectable.

Claims

1. A method for treating supply water, A metal component containing metal is added to the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition, The clarifying aqueous composition, the solid removed from the feedwater, or both of the metal components are reused in an amount of 1% to 100% by weight of the metal components added to the feedwater. A method comprising, wherein the metal component is an ion of the metal, a solid or dissolved compound of the metal, an elemental form of the metal, or a combination thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is a method for removing or reducing emulsions in the feedwater, a method for reducing the turbidity of the feedwater, or a combination thereof.

3. A solid is formed by adding the metal component to the feedwater, and the method further comprises removing the solid from the composition treated with the metal component to form the clarified aqueous composition, the method comprising: a method for coagulating and / or precipitating a suspended solid from the feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more organic compounds in the feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more inorganic compounds in the feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more dyes and / or inks in the feedwater; a method for removing or reducing the concentration of one or more metals in the feedwater; and in the feedwater A method for removing one or more heavy metals or reducing the concentration of such heavy metals; a method for removing one or more toxic compounds and / or toxic materials in the feedwater or reducing their concentration; a method for removing or reducing phosphorus in the feedwater or reducing its concentration; a method for removing or reducing fluoroalkyl compounds in the feedwater or reducing their concentration; a method for removing or reducing fluorides in the feedwater or reducing their concentration; a method for removing or reducing sulfides in the feedwater or reducing their concentration; a method for removing or reducing arsenic in the feedwater or reducing its concentration; a method for reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the feedwater; silica (e.g., SiO2) in the feedwater. ３ ２－ The method according to claim 1, which is a method for removing or reducing the concentration thereof, or a combination thereof.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the supply water contains phosphorus, and the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower phosphorus concentration compared to the supply water.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, the clarifying aqueous composition has a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound compared to the feedwater, and the fluoroalkyl compound is a perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), or a combination thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal component comprises Al ions and / or aluminum hydroxide.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the metal component to the supply water comprises adding a metal salt of the metal component to the supply water.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal in the metal component is produced by a galvanic cell or electrolytic cell, and the addition of the metal component to the supply water is performed outside the galvanic cell or electrolytic cell.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein by removing the solid from the feedwater, a clarified aqueous composition with a low concentration of the solid is formed, and an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of the solid is formed, the method further comprising: acidifying the aqueous concentrate such that the pH of the aqueous concentrate is 0.5 to 5, which is sufficient to at least partially dissolve one or more salts containing the metal component added to the feedwater; removing the solid from the aqueous concentrate after acidification; and reusing the metal of the metal component in the aqueous concentrate after acidification as a metal component added to the feedwater.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising purging one or more acidifying impurities from the aqueous concentrate after acidification.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, and contact between the feedwater and the metal component forms a fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component, the method further comprises performing a secondary separation to separate a residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification, and concentrating the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component in the aqueous concentrate to form the residual solution separated from the aqueous concentrate, wherein the fluoroalkyl compound is a perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, a perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA), or a combination thereof.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the ratio of the volume of the aqueous concentrate after removal of the residual solution to the volume of the acidified aqueous concentrate before removal of the residual solution is 1:100,000 to 1:

1.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the feedwater contains a fluoroalkyl compound, the aqueous concentrate after acidification contains a metal-treated fluoroalkyl compound formed by the addition of the metal component to the feedwater, the method further comprises decomposing the fluoroalkyl compound in the aqueous concentrate after acidification, the decomposition of the fluoroalkyl compound comprising heat treatment, electrolytic cell, plasma reactor, supercritical water treatment, combustion, chemical treatment, or a combination thereof.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method does not involve treating the supply water or clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising treating the clarified aqueous composition with a galvanic cell to form generated water.

16. The aforementioned galvanic cell is, an anode containing Al, A cathode having a different composition from the anode and The method according to claim 15, wherein the cathode comprises Cu.

17. The method according to claim 3, wherein by removing the solid from the supply water, a clarified aqueous composition with a low concentration of the solid is formed, and an aqueous concentrate with a high concentration of the solid is formed, the aqueous concentrate contains a metal component added to the supply water, and the method further comprises reusing the metal component in the aqueous concentrate as a metal component added to the supply water.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising purging one or more acidifying contaminants from the recirculating flow containing the metal component in the aqueous concentrate with the feedwater before or during mixing.

19. A method for treating supply water, The process involves adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component. To remove the solid from the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the supply water, and to form an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the solid than the clarified aqueous composition, Acidifying the aqueous concentrate, The process involves performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification, and concentrating the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component in the aqueous concentrate. Purging one or more acidic impurities from the liquid containing the aforementioned metal component, Before or during the aforementioned process, the metal component in the liquid containing the metal component is added to the feedwater. A method comprising, wherein the metallic component is an ion of aluminum, a solid or dissolved compound of aluminum, an elemental form of aluminum, or a combination thereof.

20. A method for treating supply water, The process involves adding a metal component containing aluminum to feedwater containing a fluoroalkyl compound to form a solid containing the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component. To remove the solid from the supply water to form a clarified aqueous composition with a lower concentration of the fluoroalkyl compound than the supply water, and to form an aqueous concentrate with a higher concentration of the solid than the clarified aqueous composition, Acidifying the aqueous concentrate, The process involves performing a secondary separation to separate the residual solution from the aqueous concentrate after acidification, and concentrating the fluoroalkyl compound treated with the metal component in the aqueous concentrate. Purging one or more acidic impurities from the liquid containing the aforementioned metal component, Before or during the aforementioned process, the metal component in the liquid containing the metal component is added to the feedwater. A method comprising, wherein the metallic component comprises aluminum ions, solid or dissolved compounds of aluminum, elemental forms of aluminum, or combinations thereof.

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