Halogen-Containing Sorbents for Reducing Pollutant Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remediation technologies for environmental pollutants, particularly mercury, are costly, time-consuming, and ineffective in reducing environmental and bio-availability, with pollutants often migrating or leaching back into the environment, and require complex site-specific evaluations.
Innovation Solution
The use of halogen-containing sorbents, particularly bromine-containing activated carbon, to adsorb and stabilize mercury and other pollutants by reducing their environmental availability through oxidation, adsorption, and surface reactions, which can be used alone or in conjunction with existing technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current remediation technologies (stabilization/solidification, washing, thermal desorption, vitrification) are used to treat mercury contaminated substances, then some level of pollutant control is achieved, but the processes are costly, time-consuming, and pollutants may migrate or leach back into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts mercury and other environmental pollutants from contaminated substances using halogen-containing sorbents. The sorbents selectively bind to pollutants, removing them from the contaminated matrix (soil, water, sediment) and concentrating them on the sorbent material, which can then be separated and disposed of safely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite sorbent materials combining halogen-containing compounds (such as brominated diphenyl oxide, iodinated compounds) with support matrices (activated carbon, silica, alumina, zeolites). These composite structures provide both high pollutant affinity and structural stability, enabling effective remediation while simplifying the overall process compared to conventional multi-step approaches.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional remediation processes are applied to reduce environmental availability of pollutants, then some reduction is achieved, but the processes require complex site-specific evaluations and vary significantly between sites
Solution Approach 1:
The halogen-containing sorbents described in the patent possess universal applicability across diverse contaminated sites and pollutant types. The sorbents can treat mercury, lead, cadmium, and organic pollutants in various matrices (soil, water, sediment) using a consistent mechanism, eliminating the need for extensive site-specific process development while maintaining high effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes halogen-containing compounds with specific molecular structures and properties (high affinity for metal ions, stability across pH ranges) that enable consistent performance across varying site conditions. The sorbents maintain their binding capability under different environmental parameters, reducing the need for parameter optimization at each site.
3Reliability
If sulfides are used to reduce mercury availability, then mercury can be stabilized, but acidic conditions permit sulfides to form sulfuric acid and the process requires sulfide presence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs halogen-containing sorbents as disposable remediation agents that are added to contaminated materials, perform their function of binding pollutants, and then remain as a stable solid phase. The sorbents do not require regeneration or complex recovery processes, simplifying the overall remediation approach while maintaining effectiveness across varying pH conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The halogen-containing sorbents effectively immobilize pollutants, minimizing their mobility and bio-availability, and are stable across a wide pH range, reducing the need for sulfides and minimizing mercury methylation, thus providing a cost-effective and efficient remediation solution.
Implementation Method 1
adding and/or applying a halogen-containing sorbent to said substance... The use of halogen-containing sorbents, particularly bromine-containing activated carbon, to adsorb and stabilize mercury and other pollutants
Implementation Method 2
The halogen-containing sorbents effectively immobilize pollutants, minimizing their mobility and bio-availability... through oxidation, adsorption, and surface reactions
Implementation Method 3
through oxidation, adsorption, and surface reactions, which can be used alone or in conjunction with existing technologies
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides processes for reducing the environmental availability of one or more environmental pollutants in solids, liquids, and combinations of solids and liquids.