Methods and systems for recovering acids from acidic aqueous solutions

Abstract

A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution includes contacting the acidic aqueous solution with an organic treatment material comprising dimethyl ether to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The acidic aqueous solution comprises the one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water. The method includes separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The method also includes converting substantially all of the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction. The method further includes separating the acidic aqueous fraction from the organic treatment material fraction, and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction.

Description

[0001]METHODS AND SYSTEMS RECOVERING ACIDS FROM ACIDIC SOLUTIONS PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims the benefit of the filing date of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No.63 / 564,253, filed March 12, 2024, for “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECOVERING AN ACID FROM AN ACIDIC AQUEOUS SOLUTE- LADEN SOLUTION,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE-AC07- 05-ID14517 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for removing and recovering an acid from an acidic aqueous solution. BACKGROUND Industrial process water (e.g., industrial wastewater) typically contains a high level of acids such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or phosphoric acid. For example, the steel and electroplating industries generate spent pickle liquor that is highly acidic. Mining operation and mineral processing operation use an acidic leaching solution to extract minerals from ores via a hydrometallurgical process, thus generating a substantial volume of acidic process water. Examples of the acidic leaching solutions are sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, formic acid, or a combination thereof. Acidic process water may be obtained from various manufacturing operations, such as metal refining, petroleum refining, or chemical manufacturing (e.g., polymer manufacturing). Due to its hazardous nature, acidic process water (also referred to herein as “acidic aqueous solution”) cannot be disposed into land or water bodies without proper treatment. Commonly, acidic process water is subjected to a base neutralization process prior to discharge into the environment. the base neutralization of acidic process water is a reagent-intensive process that incurs significant expense with regard to the cost of the base. Furthermore, the base neutralization of acidic process water produces waste brine that is typically treated prior to discharge. Spent acid regeneration (SAR) technology has been used in petroleum refining and polymer manufacturing, where waste generation must be avoided altogether. The SAR of sulfuric acid includes application of a high-energy gasification process to industrial process water at an extremely high temperature to produce gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is converted catalytically to sulfur trioxide (SO3), and then hydrated to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4). The operational cost of the SAR technology is high, since the high-energy gasification process is typically carried out at temperatures greater than 1000°C. Diffusion dialysis processes have been considered for recovery of acid from metallurgical wastewater; however, these processes provides a low recovery rate and uses a large membrane area. Electrodialysis processes have been applied for recovering different acids from various industrial process water, such as the wastewater generated from whey demineralization and deacidification of fruit juice. Some shortcomings of the electrodialysis recovery of acid include acid back diffusion and high energy usage, especially when the acid level in the process water is extremely high. DISCLOSURE In the first aspect of the disclosure, a method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution is disclosed. A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution includes contacting the acidic aqueous solution with an organic treatment material comprising dimethyl ether to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The acidic aqueous solution comprises the one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water. The method includes separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The method also includes converting substantially all of the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction. The method further includes separating the acidic aqueous fraction from the organic treatment material fraction, and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction. In the second aspect of the another method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution is discloses. The method includes contacting the acidic aqueous solution comprising one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water with dimethyl ether under pressure to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises the one or more acids and the dimethyl ether. The aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises the one or more solutes. The method includes separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The method also includes converting the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous- organic fraction. The organic treatment material fraction consists of the dimethyl ether. The method further includes recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction. In the third aspect of the disclosure, a system for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution is disclosed. The system includes a system for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution includes an acidic aqueous solution source and an organic treatment material source in fluid communication with the acidic aqueous solution source. The system also includes a contactor configured to receive an acidic aqueous solution from the acidic aqueous solution source and an organic treatment material from the organic treatment material source. The organic treatment material is in contact with the acidic aqueous solution inside the contactor to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The system further includes a separator in fluid communication with the contactor. The separator is configured to receive the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the contactor. The separator is also configured to separate the acidic aqueous-organic fraction into an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.1 is a simplified schematic view of a system for recovering an acid from an acidic aqueous solution, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. FIG.2 is a block diagram of a method for recovering an acid from an acidic aqueous solution, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. FIG.3 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a system utilized to recover one or more acids, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. FIG.4 is a graphical of experimental results showing the pH of acidic brine solutions before and after processing an acidic aqueous solution, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A method of recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution is disclosed that uses an organic treatment material (e.g., an organic condensable material such as dimethyl ether) to extract the acids from the acidic aqueous solution. The operation cost of embodiments of the disclosed method may be substantially lower that conventional methods of acid recovery (e.g., Spent Acid Regeneration processes), while providing at least about the same yield (e.g., recovery) of acid. The one or more acids recovered from the method according to embodiments of the disclosure may be reused in processing operations. Furthermore, the method according to embodiments of the disclosure allows for a reduced expense in the water treatment operation, since the process water (e.g., the acidic aqueous solution) recovered therefrom contains a significantly lower amount of acid compared to an initial volume of the acidic aqueous solution and may be disposed without further water treatment. When desired, the acids recovered from the method may be reused in subsequent processing operations. The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any system or method for recovering one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution, or any component thereof, but are merely idealized representations, which are employed to describe embodiments of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms following “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the term “may” with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term “is” so as to avoid any implication that other compatible materials, structures, features, and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded. As used herein, the term “configured” refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more structure and the apparatus in a pre-determined way. As used herein, the term “majority” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a degree of variance, such as within acceptable tolerances. By way of example, the parameter, property, or condition shall be at least greater than 50 percent, such as greater than about 51 percent, or from about 51 percent to about 60 percent, or from about 61 percent to about 70 percent, or from about 71 percent to about 80 percent, or from about 81 percent to about 90 percent. As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a degree of variance, such as within acceptable tolerances. By way of example, depending on the particular parameter, property, or condition that is substantially met, the parameter, property, or condition may be at least 90.0 percent met, at least 95.0 percent met, at least 99.0 percent met, at least 99.9 percent met, or even 100.0 percent met. Any numerical range recited herein includes all values from the lower value to the upper value. For example, if a concentration range is stated as 1% to 50%, it is intended that values such as 2% to 40%, 10% to 30%, or 1% to 3%, etc., are expressly enumerated in this specification. These are only examples of what is specifically intended, and all possible combinations of numerical values between and including the lowest value and the highest value enumerated are considered to be expressly stated in this disclosure. As used herein, “about” or “approximately” in reference to a numerical value for a particular parameter is inclusive of the numerical value and a degree of variance from the numerical value that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand is within acceptable tolerances for the particular parameter. For example, “about” or “approximately” in reference to a numerical value may include additional numerical values within a range of from 90.0 percent to 110.0 percent of the numerical value, such as within a range of from 95.0 percent to 105.0 percent of the numerical value, within a range of from 97.5 percent to 102.5 percent of the numerical value, within a range of from 99.0 percent to 101.0 percent of the numerical value, within a range of from 99.5 percent to 100.5 percent of the numerical value, or range of from 99.9 percent to 100.1 percent of the numerical value. The terms “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “include(s),” “including,” “having,” “has,” “contain(s),” “containing,” and variants thereof, as used herein, are open-ended transitional phrases that are meant to encompass the elements listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Where the term “comprising” is used, the disclosure also contemplates other embodiments “comprising,” “consisting of,” or “consisting essentially of” elements presented herein, whether explicitly set forth or not. The term “consist(s) of” or “consisting of,” as used herein, is a close-ended transitional phrase that is meant to encompass the elements listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, and to exclude any unlisted element. As used herein, the term “solution” means and includes a solution of a solute in a solvent, a suspension of the solute in a solvent, an emulsion of the solute in the solvent, a slurry of the solute in the solvent, or combinations thereof. Since a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize whether a particular reference describes a solution, a suspension, an emulsion, a slurry, or a combination thereof from the context, for the purposes of readability and claiming the invention, the term “solution” means a solution, a suspension, an emulsion, a slurry, or a combination thereof. FIG.1 is a simplified schematic view of a system 10 for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. The system 10 includes an acidic aqueous solution source 20 disposed in fluid communication with a contactor 30, which is configured to receive an amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25 from the acidic aqueous solution source 20. The acidic aqueous solution source 20 may comprise a device, structure, or apparatus configured and operated to store and / or produce the acidic aqueous solution 25. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution source 20 comprises a storage vessel (e.g., a tank, a lined tank) configured to contain the acidic aqueous solution. In additional embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution 25 comprises all or a portion of a discharge stream of an operation (e.g., a mining operation, a mineral processing operation, a biomass processing operation, a material processing operation, a refinery operation) that utilizes and / or generates the acidic aqueous solution 25. The acidic aqueous solution be formed of and include one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water. The one or more acids may include, but are not limited to, an inorganic acid (e.g., sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid), an organic acid (e.g., acetic acid, carbonic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, formic acid), or a combination thereof. The one or more solutes may comprise an inorganic material (e.g., a dissolved salt, a scalant), an organic material (e.g., a water soluble organic material, a water insoluble organic material), an organic / inorganic hybrid material (e.g., a coordination complex, an organometallic complex), a solid material (e.g., a suspended solid, solid particles, a solid matrix, a wet solid), or any combination thereof. By way of example only, the solutes in the acidic aqueous solution 25 may include alkali metal sulfates, alkali earth metal sulfates, d-block metal sulfates, f-block metal sulfates, or combinations thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the acidic aqueous solution 25 may include one or more of an acidic saline solution, an acidic brine solution, an acidic mineralized water solution (e.g., an acidic rare earth element solution, an acidic transition metal solution, an acidic actinide solution, or combinations thereof), acidic industrial wastewater, acidic mining wastewater (e.g., an acidic potash solution, an acidic gypsum solution, an acidic lithium salt solution), an acidic landfill leachate, an acidic radioactive material solution, or an acidic toxic material solution. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution 25 includes wet solid materials (e.g., high moisture content solid materials) having an aqueous acidic solution entrained, entrapped, or otherwise contained therein. In some embodiments, a total dissolved solids (TDS) content of the acidic aqueous solution 25 is greater than or equal to about 40 parts per billion (ppb) (e.g., from about 40 ppb to about 4 parts per million (ppm)), or greater than or equal to about 4 ppm (e.g., from about 4 ppm to about 4,000 ppm), or greater than or equal to about 4,000 ppm (e.g., from about 4,000 ppm to about 350,000 ppm). The system 10 for recovering one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution also includes an organic treatment material source 40 disposed in fluid communication with the contactor 30, which is configured to receive an amount of an organic treatment material 45 from the organic treatment material source 40. The organic treatment material 45 may comprise dimethyl ether. In additional embodiments, the organic treatment material 45 is dimethyl ether. The organic treatment material 45 (e.g., condensable organic treatment material, dimethyl ether) may be formulated to exhibit at least one (e.g., a gaseous phase, a liquid phase) depending on operating conditions within the system 10. The system 10 for recovering one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution also includes a separator 70 (e.g., degasser) disposed in fluid communication with the contactor 30. In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes one or more energy sources (not shown) operatively associated with the separator 70 to alter at least one condition (e.g., temperature, pressure) within the separator 70 to effectuate the separation of an organic treatment material fraction 75, as described in further detail below. In some embodiments, the separator 70 is further disposed in fluid communication with the organic treatment material source 40, such that at least a portion of (e.g., a majority of, substantially all of) the organic treatment material fraction 75 may be returned to the organic treatment material source 40 for reuse. During use and operation of the system 10, the contactor 30 receives an amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25 from the acidic aqueous solution source 20 and an amount of the organic treatment material 45 (e.g., condensable organic treatment material, dimethyl ether) from the organic treatment material source 40. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45 are introduced into the contactor 30 as continuous streams, such that the system 10 is operated in a continuous mode. In additional embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45 are introduced into the contactor 30 in singular fixed amounts or in several intermittent fixed amounts, such that the system 10 is operated in a batch or semi-batch mode. In the contactor 30, the acidic aqueous solution 25 is contacted with the organic treatment material 45 to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 and an aqueous acid- depleted fraction 60. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous solution 25 is contacted with the organic treatment material 45 in the contactor 30 for a period of from about 30 seconds to about 90 minutes (e.g., from about 30 seconds to about 1 minute, from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, from about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes, from about 20 minutes to about 30 minutes, from about 30 minutes to about 60 minutes, or from about 60 minutes to about 90 minutes). In some embodiments, the organic treatment material 45 in the contactor 30 comprises dimethyl ether that is pressurized to from about 101 kPa (1 atm) to about 3,030 kPa (30 atm) (e.g., from about 202 kPa to about 2,020 kPa, from about 303 kPa to about 1,010 kPa, from about 404 kPa to about 808 kPa, from 404 kPa to about 606 kPa, or from about 505 kPa to about 606 kPa) at temperatures of from about 20°C to about 25°C. The contactor 30 comprises at least one device, structure, or apparatus configured and operated to form the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 upon contacting the acidic aqueous solution 25 with the organic treatment material 45. As a non-limiting example, the contactor 30 may include a spray apparatus configured to form and direct discrete portions (e.g., drops, aerosol) of one or both of the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45 to facilitate interactions between the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45. As another non-limiting example, the contactor 30 may comprise a bubbler apparatus (e.g., a gas bubbler apparatus, a liquid bubbler apparatus) configured and operated to form and direct discrete portions (e.g., gas bubbles, liquid droplets) of the organic treatment material 45 through the acidic aqueous solution 25. As an additional non-limiting example, the contactor 30 may comprise a diffusion membrane apparatus (e.g., a gas-liquid diffusion membrane apparatus, a liquid-liquid diffusion membrane apparatus) configured and operated to diffuse molecules of the organic treatment material 45 into the acidic aqueous solution 25. In some embodiments, the contactor 30 includes a sonication device configured and operated to facilitate or enhance interactions between the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45 to form the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 includes at least a portion of (e.g., a majority of, substantially all of) the one or more acids initially present in the amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25 that was introduced into the contactor 30. The acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 also includes at least a portion of (e.g., a majority of, substantially all of) the organic treatment material 45 introduced into the contactor 30. In some embodiments, the amount (e.g., weight percentage) of the one or more acids in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is relatively higher than the amount of such in one or more acids in the acidic aqueous solution 25 introduced into the contactor 30. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 also include at least some of the solutes (e.g., dissolved salts, dissolved minerals, water soluble organic materials, water insoluble organic materials) initially present in the amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25. However, the amount (e.g., weight percentage) of one or more solutes in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is relatively lower than the amount of such one or more solutes in the acidic aqueous solution was introduced into the contactor 30. Thus, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution 25 that was introduced into the contactor 30, as well as being rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) the organic treatment material 45 introduced into the contactor 30. Conversely, the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 is depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of the one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution 25 and includes little, if any, of the organic treatment material 45. The aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) the one or more solutes (e.g., water insoluble organic material, suspended solid, wet solid material) originally present in the acidic aqueous solution 25 that was introduced into the contactor 30. In other words, the amount (e.g., weight percentage) of one or more solutes in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 is relatively higher than the amount of such one or more solutes in the acidic aqueous solution 25 introduced into the contactor 30. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 forms a single phase (e.g., a single liquid phase comprising a solution of acidic water and the organic treatment material). In additional embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 forms multiple phases (e.g., an acid-rich aqueous liquid phase, a polar organic liquid phase rich in the organic treatment material). At least a portion of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 (e.g., an entirety of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50, substantially all of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50, an acid-rich aqueous liquid phase of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50, or a polar organic liquid phase of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 rich in organic treatment material 45) formed in the contactor 30 is directed into the separator 70. In the separator 70, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is subjected to a change of operating conditions (e.g., a change in temperature, a change in pressure, a change in material exposure, or any combination thereof) to effectuate the separation of the acidic aqueous- organic fraction 50 into the organic treatment material fraction 75 and an acidic aqueous fraction 80. The acidic aqueous fraction 80 may include, but is not limited to, an aqueous acid solution, a solution of an aqueous acid and a water soluble organic material, or a combination of an aqueous acid phase and a water insoluble organic material phase. In some embodiments, the 70 comprises a degassing apparatus. Upon exposing the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 to the operating conditions inside the separator 70 that facilitate a change in state of the organic treatment material fraction 75 (e.g., a change from liquid phase to gaseous phase), the acidic aqueous fraction 80 may be obtained after recovering (e.g., collecting) the organic treatment material fraction 75 (e.g., in gaseous phase) from the separator 70. As a non-limiting example, if the organic treatment material 45 comprises a condensable organic treatment material (e.g., a hydrophilic condensable gas, dimethyl ether), the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 comprises a solution (e.g., a pressurized solution) of acidic water soluble in the condensable organic treatment material solvent under pressure. Upon subjecting the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 to a change of conditions (e.g., an increase in temperature, a decrease in pressure, or both) in the separator 70, the condensable organic treatment material in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 may change from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase. Thus, the acidic aqueous- organic fraction 50 is separated into the organic treatment material fraction 75 and the acidic aqueous fraction 80. The organic treatment material fraction 75 is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) the organic treatment material. The acidic aqueous fraction 80 is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) one or more acids but depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of the organic treatment material and the one or more solutes originally present in the acidic aqueous solution 25. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is exposed to elevated temperatures within the separator 70 using energy (e.g., thermal energy, electricity) supplied from an external energy source (not shown). The energy source may, for example, comprise one or more of a device, structure, or apparatus configured and operated to use one or more of solar thermal energy (e.g., a solar pond, a concentrated solar power apparatus, such as one or more of parabolic trough, a solar power tower, an enclosed trough, a Fresnel reflector, a dish Stirling), geothermal energy, nuclear energy, combustion-based energy, and waste heat (e.g., heat generated from one or more of an engine, a chemical process, and a phase change process). In additional embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 is expanded (e.g., by way of one or more of an expansion turbine and an expansion valve) to reduce the pressure thereof, resulting in the organic treatment material fraction 75 and the acidic aqueous fraction 80. Still referring to FIG.1, the 70 may be disposed in fluid communication with the organic treatment material source 40, such as, by way of an organic treatment material return 76, to facilitate the return of the recovered organic treatment material fraction 75 to the organic treatment material source 40 for reuse. In some embodiments, the organic treatment material return 76 includes one or more energy recovery devices (e.g., heat exchangers), and / or one or more pressure devices (e.g., pressure exchange devices) configured and operated to pressurize the organic treatment material fraction 75 (e.g., changing from a gaseous phase to a liquid phase) before returning the organic treatment material fraction 75 to the organic treatment material source 40 for reuse. The acidic aqueous fraction 80, which is rich in one or more acids but depleted of the organic treatment material and the solutes, may be recovered (e.g., collected) from the separator 70 and subjected to further processing acts. The acidic aqueous fraction 80 may include up to about 96% of the acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution 25. The acids recovered, according to embodiments of the disclosure, may include, but are not limited to, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, carbonic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, formic acid, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous fraction 80 is returned to the process operation (e.g., mining operation, mineral processing operation, biomass processing operation, material processing operation, separations process operation, refinery operation) that utilizes and / or generates the acidic aqueous solution 25 for reuse therein. In additional embodiments, the acidic aqueous fraction 80 is neutralized before disposal to the environment, such as by addition of a base, thereby forming a neutral salt or a brine solution depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of harmful solutes initially present in the acidic aqueous solution 25. With continued reference to FIG.1, the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 formed in the contactor 30 is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) one or more solutes of the acidic aqueous solution 25, while being depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution 25, and being depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of the organic treatment material 45. At least a portion of (e.g., a majority of, substantially all of) one or more of the solutes present in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 may precipitate out of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60, providing a solid fraction 90 and an aqueous solution 95. The solid fraction 90 including the one or more solutes may be discharged from the contactor 30 for reuse and / or aqueous solution 95 is depleted (e.g., substantially depleted, such as at least about 90 percent depleted, at least about 95 percent depleted, at least about 99 percent depleted, or at least about 99.9 percent depleted) of the one or more solutes. The aqueous solution 95 may be discharged from the contactor 30 for reuse and / or disposal. In some embodiments, at least a portion of one or more of the solutes present in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 may spontaneously precipitate out of the aqueous acid- depleted fraction 60, such as upon contact and mixing of the acidic aqueous solution 25 and the organic treatment material 45 within the contactor 30, to form the at least one solid fraction 90. In additional embodiments, at least one solute may precipitate (e.g., substantially precipitate) out of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 as the solid fraction 90 when the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 is adjusted to a specific pH (e.g., a pH at which the at least one solute becomes less soluble or insoluble). As the solubility of many of the solutes of interest (e.g., dissolved salts, dissolved minerals, water soluble organic materials, water insoluble organic materials) present in the acidic aqueous solution 25 may decrease as pH increases, the system 10 for recovering one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution, according to some embodiments, also may be employed for the selective precipitation of different solutes out of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 at different pH values or over different pH ranges. In other words, the pH may be adjusted during use and operation of the system 10 to selectively precipitate one or more of the solutes. As one example, one solute may precipitate (e.g., substantially precipitate) out of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 while the aqueous fraction 60 is at a first pH, and another solute may precipitate (e.g., substantially precipitate) out of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 while the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 is at a second pH different than the first pH. As one or more acids and at least some amounts of water in the acidic aqueous solution 25 are removed and transferred with the organic treatment material 45 into the acidic aqueous- organic fraction 50, a two-fold impact on the solubility of the solutes in the aqueous acid- depleted fraction 60 may occur. First, as some amount of water is removed, the concentration of one or more solutes remaining in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 increases. This increase in concentration may reach and / or exceed the solubility limit of one or more of the solutes, thereby providing a first driving force for precipitation. Second, the removal of one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution 25 and subsequent transfer into the acidic aqueous- 50 may shift (e.g., decrease) the solubility limit of one or more of the solutes remaining in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60, thereby providing a second driving force for the precipitation. The selective removal of water and acids brings the solutes closer to saturation as the pH increases, which allows the selective precipitation to occur. The selective precipitation of the solutes based on pH- dependent solubilities may, therefore, be accomplished without using a base reagent to neutralize the acids. The concentration of solutes in the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 may be controlled so as to selectively precipitate the particular solute of interest by adjusting the amount of organic treatment material 45 contacted with the amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25, the amount of acid and water removed therefrom, and the pH of the remaining aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60. This may be particularly effective in a step-wise mode of operation, wherein the total amount of organic treatment material 45 to be contacted with an amount of the acidic aqueous solution 25 may be added in two, three, or more acts to effect precipitation of the different solutes of interest at different pH values of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60. Thus, the system 10 for recovering one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution may be used to remove one or more of the acids (e.g., inorganic acid, organic acid) from the acidic aqueous solution 25 through contact with the organic treatment material 45, which results in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 50 rich in the one or more acids and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 depleted of the one or more acids. The system 10 may also be used to selectively remove (e.g., selectively precipitate) one or more solutes from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction 60 by precipitation. FIG.2 is a block diagram of a method 100 for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. In some embodiments, the method 100 includes contacting (110) an acidic aqueous solution with an organic treatment material to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid- depleted fraction. The acidic aqueous solution may include one or more acids (e.g., inorganic acid, organic acid), one or more solutes (e.g., dissolved salt, dissolved mineral, water soluble organic material, water insoluble organic material, suspended solid, wet solid material), and water. In some embodiments, the organic treatment material comprises a condensable organic treatment material (e.g., dimethyl ether). In some embodiments, dimethyl ether is used as the organic treatment material and contacted with the acidic aqueous solution under pressure (e.g., dimethyl ether pressurized to from about 101 kPa to about 3,030 kPa, such as 202 kPa to about 2,020 kPa, from about 303 kPa to about 1,010 kPa, from about 404 kPa to about 808 kPa, from about 404 kPa to about 606 kPa, or from about 505 kPa to about 606 kPa) at temperatures of from about 20°C to about 25°C. The acidic aqueous solution may be contacted with the organic treatment material (e.g., dimethyl ether, pressurized dimethyl ether) for a period of from about 30 seconds to about 90 minutes, such as from about 30 seconds to about 1 minute, from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, from about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes, from about 20 minutes to about 30 minutes, from about 30 minutes to about 60 minutes, or from about 60 minutes to about 90 minutes. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution as well as being rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) the organic treatment material. Conversely, the aqueous acid-depleted fraction is depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution and includes little, if any, of the organic treatment material. However, the aqueous fraction is rich in (e.g., including at least a majority of, including substantially all of) one or more solutes originally present in the acidic aqueous solution. The method 100 also includes separating (120) the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction, and forming (130) an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction. The organic treatment material fraction may comprise substantially all of the organic treatment material contacted with the acidic aqueous acid-depleted solution. In some embodiments, the acidic organic fraction may comprise substantially all of one or more acids originally present in the acidic aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the acidic aqueous fraction is depleted (e.g., substantially depleted) of the organic treatment material and one or more solutes originally present in the acidic aqueous solution. The method 100 further includes separating (140) the organic treatment material fraction from the acidic aqueous fraction. The method 100 may optionally include returning (150) the organic treatment material for reuse. In some embodiments, the method 100 includes recovering (152) the one or more acids in the acidic aqueous fraction. In additional embodiments, the method 100 includes reusing (154) the acidic aqueous fraction, which is rich in one or more acids, for a processing operation (e.g., mining operation, a mineral processing operation, a biomass processing operation, a material processing operation, a separations operation, or a refinery operation) that utilizes the acid as a raw material (e.g., a reagent). Still referring to FIG.2, the method 100 may include forming (160) a solid fraction and an aqueous solution fraction from the aqueous fraction, and separating (170) the solid fraction from the aqueous solution fraction. The solid fraction is rich in one or more solutes originally present in the acidic aqueous solution. The aqueous acid-depleted solution fraction is relatively depleted of one or more acids and one or more solutes originally present in the acidic aqueous solution; therefore, the aqueous solution fraction may be disposed to the environment without requiring an extensive water treatment process. In some embodiments, the method 100 includes reusing (180) the aqueous solution fraction in a manufacturing process. The method 100 may also include recovering (182) one or more solutes from the solid fraction. Alternatively, the solid fraction may be disposed of (184). In some embodiments, separating (170) the solid fraction may include precipitating one solid fraction at a first pH of the aqueous fraction, and precipitating one other solid fraction at a second pH of the aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The method of recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution may be achieved at a substantially lower cost compared to conventional methods of acid recovery (e.g., the Spent Acid Regeneration (SAR) method), while providing at least about the same recovery (e.g., yield) of acid. For example, the operation cost for the disclosed method of recovering sulfuric acid may be in a range of from about $5 USD per metric ton of acid to about $10 USD per metric ton of acid, compared to the operation cost of the SAR process for sulfuric acid that may be in excess of $150 USD per metric ton of acid. The method of recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous solution of the disclosure allows the acids that are recovered to be reused in the processing operations. This reduces the cost associated with the processing operations since reagent costs are reduced or eliminated. This is important for industrial operations in remote locations (e.g., a mining operation), where the transport of acid to the operation site may be costly. Furthermore, the method allows for a reduced expense in the water treatment operation, since the process water recovered by the disclosed method contains a significantly lower amount of acids compared to that of the initial process water. In addition, the process water recovered by the method may be disposed without requiring further water treatment, or requiring minimum neutralization of the acids before disposal. When desired, the process water released from the method may be reused in the processing operations. The one or more acids the methods according to embodiments of the disclosure from the acidic aqueous solution may be utilized in, for example, a hydrometallurgical process (e.g., in mining operations, mineral processing operations), a biomass processing operation, a material processing operation, a refinery operation, bioprocessing, phosphate production, oil refining operation, industrial cleaning operation, metal finishing operation, surface treatment, and any other industrial operations that employ acids. EXAMPLE The acidic aqueous solution used in the study was a leached solution obtained from a hydrometallurgical process. The acidic solution comprised an acid (sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid), solutes (alkali metal sulfates, alkali earth metal sulfates, d-block metal sulfates, and f-block metal sulfates), and water. FIG.3 presents a simplified diagrammatic view of a system 300 used in the study. The system 300 of FIG.3 included a first container 310 containing liquid dimethyl ether (DME), a second container 320 containing the acidic aqueous solution 322, and a contactor 330 for receiving the liquid DME 312 from the first container 310 and the acidic aqueous solution 322 from the second container 320. The system 300 also included a separator 340 in fluid communication with the contactor 330 and was configured to receive the materials dispensed from the contactor 330. During the study, an amount of the DME 312 was dispersed from the first container 310 into the contactor 330. An amount of the acidic aqueous solution 322 was dispersed from the second container 320 into the contactor 330, and was contacted with the DME 312 in the contactor 330 at a selected temperature and pressure for a pre-determined time period to produce an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction. The acidic aqueous-organic fraction was dispensed from the contactor 330, while the aqueous acid-depleted fraction remained inside the contactor 330. The acidic aqueous- organic fraction dispensed from the contactor 330 included a first portion 331 of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and a second portion 332 of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction. The first portion 331 of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction was recycled back to the second container 320 via the use of a recirculation pump 335, and was subsequently introduced to the contactor 330 for further contact with the DME. The second portion 332 of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction was rich in the acids initially present in the leached solution, and depleted of (e.g., depleted of) the solutes insoluble in the DME 312. The second portion 332 of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction was transported from the contactor 330 and into the separator 340. The separator 340 was operated at a higher temperature and / or lower pressure compared to the temperature and / or pressure operated in the contactor 330. Specifically, the separator 340 was operated at conditions that facilitated a change in the state of DME 312 from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase. The state of DME 312 in the separator 340 may be DME liquid and / or DME gas depending on the temperature and / or pressure in the separator 340. As a result, the liquid DME 312 in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction 332 was converted to the gaseous DME 312 and removed from the separator 340, while the acidic aqueous fraction 345 remained inside the separator 340. The gaseous DME 312 was recycled back to the first container 310 via the use of a recovery pump 352. Optionally, the gaseous DME 312 was subjected to an expansion trap 350 prior to recycling back to the first container 310. The aqueous acid- depleted fraction remained inside the contactor 330 was subsequently dispersed from the contactor 330. The acidic aqueous fraction 345 was taken from the separator 340 and analyzed by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine the elemental composition of the acidic aqueous fraction 345. The ICP-AES results indicated that the acidic aqueous fraction 345 contained as low as about 0.03% by weight of the metals initially present in the leached solution 322. For example, the leached solution 322 contained 23,514 mg / L of metals, and the acidic aqueous fraction 345 contained only 8 mg / L of metals. The acidic aqueous fraction 345 was also analyzed for acid content by a pH meter. Based on multiple experiments and measurements, the acidic aqueous fraction 345 had a pH corresponding to the pH of an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid. FIG.4 is a graphical representation of experimental results plotting pH of the leached solution 322 (i.e., the acidic brine solution) and pH of the acidic aqueous fraction 345 (i.e., the acidic brine solution). FIG.4 indicated that the acidic aqueous fraction 345 included substantially all of the acid (e.g., sulfuric acid (H2SO4)), hydrochloric acid (HCl) originally present in the leached solution 322. Additional non-limiting example embodiments of the disclosure are set forth below. Embodiment 1: A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution comprising: contacting the acidic aqueous solution with an organic treatment material comprising dimethyl ether an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction, the acidic aqueous solution comprising the one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water; separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction; converting substantially all of the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction; separating the organic treatment material fraction from the acidic aqueous fraction; and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction. Embodiment 2: The method according to Embodiment 1, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material comprises contacting one or more of an acidic saline solution, an acidic brine solution, an acidic mineralized water solution, acidic industrial wastewater, acidic mining wastewater, an acidic landfill leachate, an acidic radioactive material solution, or an acidic toxic material solution with the organic treatment material. Embodiment 3: The method according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material comprises contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material at a temperature of from about 10°C to about 40°C, and under a pressure of from about 4 atmospheres to about 8 atmospheres. Embodiment 4: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises: forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction including the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction substantially free of the one or more solutes initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 5: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises: forming the aqueous acid-depleted fraction substantially free of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 6: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an organic treatment material fraction consisting of the organic treatment material. Embodiment 7: The method to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an acidic aqueous solution substantially free of the organic treatment material and the one or more solutes initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 8: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an acidic aqueous solution comprising substantially all of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 9: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, wherein separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises separating one or more of an alkali metal sulfate, an alkali earth metal sulfate, a d-block metal sulfate, a f-block metal sulfate, or a combination thereof from the aqueous fraction. Embodiment 10: The method according to any one of the preceding Embodiments, further comprising contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material fraction. Embodiment 11: A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution comprising: contacting the acidic aqueous solution comprising one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water with dimethyl ether under pressure to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction, the acidic aqueous- organic fraction comprising the one or more acids and the dimethyl ether, and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprising the one or more solutes; separating the acidic aqueous- organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction; converting the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous- organic fraction, the organic treatment material fraction consisting of the dimethyl ether; and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction. Embodiment 12: The method according to Embodiment 11, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprising a majority amount of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 13: The method to Embodiment 11 or Embodiment 12, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises forming the aqueous acid-depleted fraction substantially depleted of the one or more acids. Embodiment 14: The method according to any one of Embodiments 11 through 13, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the dimethyl ether under pressure comprises contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the dimethyl ether in a liquid phase. Embodiment 15: The method according to any one of Embodiments 11 through 14, wherein converting the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase comprises increasing a temperature of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction, decreasing a pressure of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction, or both. Embodiment 16: The method according to any one of Embodiments 11 through 15, further comprising removing the one or more solutes from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction. Embodiment 17: The method according to any one of Embodiments 11 through 16, further comprising: precipitating a first solid from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction at a first pH, the first solid comprising a first solute initially present in the acidic aqueous solution; and precipitating a second solid from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction at a second pH different than the first pH, the second solid comprising a second solute initially present in the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 18: A system for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution, the system comprising: an acidic aqueous solution source; an organic treatment material source in fluid communication with the acidic aqueous solution source; a contactor configured to receive an acidic aqueous solution from the acidic aqueous solution source and an organic treatment material from the organic treatment material source, the organic treatment material in contact with the acidic aqueous solution inside the contactor to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction; and a separator in fluid communication with the contactor and configured to receive the acidic aqueous- organic fraction from the contactor, the separator further configured to separate the acidic aqueous-organic fraction into an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction. Embodiment 19: The system to Embodiment 18, wherein the contactor comprises one or more of a spray apparatus, a bubbler apparatus, a diffusion membrane apparatus and a sonication device to facilitate the contact between the organic treatment material and the acidic aqueous solution. Embodiment 20: The system according to Embodiment 18 or Embodiment 19, wherein the separator comprises a pressure reduction device, a heating device, or both. While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, the disclosure is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the following appended claims and their legal equivalent. For example, elements and features disclosed in relation to one embodiment may be combined with elements and features disclosed in relation to other embodiments of the disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution comprising: contacting the acidic aqueous solution with an organic treatment material comprising dimethyl ether to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid- depleted fraction, the acidic aqueous solution comprising the one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water; separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction; converting substantially all of the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction; separating the organic treatment material fraction from the acidic aqueous fraction; and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material comprises contacting one or more of an acidic saline solution, an acidic brine solution, an acidic mineralized water solution, acidic industrial wastewater, acidic mining wastewater, an acidic landfill leachate, an acidic radioactive material solution, or an acidic toxic material solution with the organic treatment material.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material comprises contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material at a temperature of from about 20°C to about 25°C, and under a pressure of from about 4 atmospheres to about 6 atmospheres.

4. The method one of the preceding claims, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises: forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction including the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction substantially free of the one or more solutes initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises: forming the aqueous acid-depleted fraction substantially free of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an organic treatment material fraction consisting of the organic treatment material.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an acidic aqueous solution substantially free of the organic treatment material and the one or more solutes initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein forming the organic treatment material fraction and the acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprises forming an acidic aqueous solution comprising substantially all of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises separating one or more of an alkali metal sulfate, an alkali earth metal sulfate, a d-block metal sulfate, a f-block metal sulfate, or a combination thereof from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the organic treatment material fraction.

11. A method for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution comprising: contacting the acidic aqueous solution comprising one or more acids, one or more solutes, and water with dimethyl ether under pressure to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction, the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprising the one or more acids and the dimethyl ether, and the aqueous acid- depleted fraction comprising the one or more solutes; separating the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction; converting the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase to form an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction from the acidic aqueous-organic fraction, the organic treatment material fraction consisting of the dimethyl ether; and recovering the one or more acids from the acidic aqueous fraction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming the acidic aqueous- organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction comprising a majority amount of the one or more acids initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

13. The method according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein forming the acidic aqueous-organic fraction and the aqueous acid-depleted fraction comprises forming the aqueous acid-depleted fraction substantially depleted of the one or more acids.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 through 13, wherein contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the dimethyl ether under pressure comprises contacting the acidic aqueous solution with the dimethyl ether in a liquid phase.

15. The method one of claims 11 through 14, wherein converting the dimethyl ether in the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase comprises increasing a temperature of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction, decreasing a pressure of the acidic aqueous-organic fraction, or both.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 through 15, further comprising removing the one or more solutes from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction.

17. The method according to any one of claims 11 through 16, further comprising: precipitating a first solid from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction at a first pH, the first solid comprising a first solute initially present in the acidic aqueous solution; and precipitating a second solid from the aqueous acid-depleted fraction at a second pH different than the first pH, the second solid comprising a second solute initially present in the acidic aqueous solution.

18. A system for recovering one or more acids from an acidic aqueous solution, the system comprising: an acidic aqueous solution source; an organic treatment material source in fluid communication with the acidic aqueous solution source; a contactor configured to receive an acidic aqueous solution from the acidic aqueous solution source and an organic treatment material from the organic treatment material source, the organic treatment material in contact with the acidic aqueous solution inside the contactor to form an acidic aqueous-organic fraction and an aqueous acid-depleted fraction; and a separator in fluid communication with the contactor and configured to receive the acidic aqueous-organic fraction from the contactor, the separator further configured to separate the acidic aqueous-organic fraction into an organic treatment material fraction and an acidic aqueous fraction.

19. The system according 18, wherein the contactor comprises one or more of a spray apparatus, a bubbler apparatus, a diffusion membrane apparatus and a sonication device to facilitate the contact between the organic treatment material and the acidic aqueous solution.

20. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the separator comprises a pressure reduction device, a heating device, or both.

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