Catalyst – solid sorbent – or support therefor: product or process – Solid sorbent – Inorganic gel containing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-30
2004-10-19
Silverman, Stanley S. (Department: 1754)
Catalyst, solid sorbent, or support therefor: product or process
Solid sorbent
Inorganic gel containing
C502S408000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06806227
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the removal of contaminants, particularly to the removal of contaminants from an aqueous media, and more particularly to the removal of contaminating metals and organic compounds from an aqueous media using solid material, which may be in the form of sol-gel and/or sol-gel and with solid support mixtures, which may be in the form of granulated activated carbon (GAC).
In recent years, substantial effort has been directed to the removal of contaminants from an aqueous media, such as ground water. Numerous “Superfund” sites have been established because of contamination of ground water by various materials. The main contaminants are metals, particularly uranium and hexavalent chromium, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), high explosive compounds, nitrates, perchlorates, and tritium, as well as various commercial and manufacturing waste contaminants.
Presently, granular activated carbon (GAC), ion-exchanged resins, air-strippers, and bioremediation are used for contaminate removal. These work on many contaminants. However, there is not an readily available cost-effective remedy for uranium.
GAC has been commercially used as an adsorbent for contaminants in water. It is cheap and treatment technology hardware is readily available commercially for its use. Even though GAC is a good adsorbent medium for many contaminants, such as VOCs, it is not efficient for certain metals, particularly uranium. Thus, there has been a need for a material by which contaminating metals and certain organic compounds may be removed from aqueous media.
The present invention provides a solution to this need by providing a material that can be used alone or with GAC to make it a good adsorbent for uranium, for example, without loosing the affinity for other contaminants. The material is a sol-gel and/or sol-gel and GAC mixture.
Sol-gels or aerogels, as commonly known, by themselves have not in the past been cost-effective to use. However, in an example of a composite, made in accordance with the invention, only 20% or less is an aerogel and the composite is a much better adsorbent for uranium than the aforementioned treatment technologies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for the removal of contaminant metals and organic compounds from aqueous media.
A further object of the invention is to provide solid materials for removal of contaminating metals and organic compounds from aqueous media.
Another object of the invention is to provide for the removal of uranium from aqueous media.
Another object of the invention is to provide a material composed of a sol-gel and/or a sol-gel and a solid support mixtures for removing contaminating metals and organic compounds from aqueous media.
Another object of the invention is to provide a material composed of a sol-gel and/or a sol-gel and granulated activated carbon mixtures for removing contaminating metals and organic compounds from aqueous media.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. The invention involves the removal of contaminating metals, such as uranium, and organic compounds from aqueous media. The invention involves a solid material that may be in molded, granular, or powder form, and the solid material adsorbs the metal and the organics leaving a purified aqueous stream. The solid materials are sol-gel and/or sol-gel and granulated activated carbon (GAC) mixtures. After adsorbing the contaminants, the contaminated solid material can be disposed of or the contaminant can be removed and the solid materials recycled. The species-specific adsorption occurs through specific chemical modifications of the solid materials tailored towards the contaminant(s).
REFERENCES:
patent: 5015448 (1991-05-01), Vorlop et al.
patent: 5494863 (1996-02-01), Mathur
patent: 5496397 (1996-03-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 5679281 (1997-10-01), Levin et al.
patent: 5960368 (1999-09-01), Pierce et al.
patent: 6171647 (2001-01-01), Holman
patent: 6197415 (2001-03-01), Holman
patent: 3937863 (1990-06-01), None
patent: WO 00/09241 (2000-02-01), None
Pekala et al, “Carbon Aerogels For Electrochemical Applications”. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, NL, vol. 225, No. 1-3, Apr. 15, 1998, pp. 74-80.
“Dibutyl Phosphoric Acid Solubility in High-Acid, Uranium-Bearing Solutions At SRS”, #WSRCTR9800281, Oct. 2, 1996.
C. A. Toles et al, Phosphoric Acid Activation of Nutshells for Metals and Organic Remediation: Process Optimization, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 1998, 72, 255-263, no month.
C. J. Briner, G.W. Scherer, Sol-Gel Science. The Physics and Chemistry of Sol Gel Processing, ISBN: 0-12-134970-5 (1989), no month.
J. G. Reynolds, Recent Research Developments in Non-Crystalline Solids, ISBN: 81-7895-028-6j, no date.
G. Tchobanoglous and F.L. Burton, Water Quality, Characteristics, Modeling and Modification ISBN: 0-201-054337 (1985), no month.
L. W. Hrubesh et al, Organic Solvent Removal from Water with Hyrophobic Silica Aerogels, ISA6 Aerogel Conference 2000-hrubesh abstract p. 1-2, no month.
Coleman Sabre J.
Coronado Paul R.
Reynolds John G.
Johnson Edward M.
Lee Ann M.
Silverman Stanley S.
Tak James S.
The Regents of the University of California
LandOfFree
Solid materials for removing metals and fabrication method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Solid materials for removing metals and fabrication method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Solid materials for removing metals and fabrication method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3307483