Method for removing mercury and/or arsenic from contaminated water using an intimate mixture of organoclay and elemental sulfur

• Main Authors: ABRAHAM ROBERT, WANG ZHEN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.03.2011
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

The use of a sulfur-impregnated organoclay provides a mercury or arsenic removal media having increased reactivity, stability, and mercury removal ability. The Hg/As removal media described herein is prepared by impregnating an organophilic clay with elemental (free state) sulfur. Alternatively, the clay can be made organophilic by onium ion reaction prior to or simultaneously with impregnating the organoclay with sulfur.