Mercury Recovery
A need exists for developing a decontamination technology that can be applied to mercury contaminated equipment, primarily at the DOE lithium processing facility at Y-12 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a water-soluble polymeric decontamination system for removing mercury.
This technology, called Polymer Filtration, combines the most positive aspects of chelation technology with the convenience of ion-exchange technology to both in-situ and ex-situ decontamination of equipment. Chelating polymers are applied to the contaminated surface along with surfactants or other dissolution-enhancing chemicals as aqueous solutions or foams. The metal-laden polymer is then rinsed into an ultrafiltraion chamber where the polymer is captured. The other chemicals in the solution are recycled, and the mercury-laden polymer is regenerated with the mercury eluted in a concentrated solution.
- DOE Lithium Processing Facilities (Y-12, Oak Ridge Tennessee) and Industrial Sites;
- User facility available, Separation Science & Technology Deployment Center;
- FY99 — Treatability study
- FY98 — Bench scale
- D&D small test completed;
- FY97 — Pilot Scale
- Tests for simulated heavy metals;
- Tests for authentic equipment samples;
- Cost analysis
- Patents have been disclosed/filed and issued.
| Commercial Applications Contact: | Patricia J. Robinson (n,p) Energy, Inc. Phone: (505) 888-1996 E-mail: Radwasted@aol.com |
| Technical Questions Contact: |
Dr. Barbara F. Smith |
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