Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Low Cost In Situ Technique for Mercury Removal

EPA Contract Number: 68D00235
Title: Low Cost In Situ Technique for Mercury Removal
Investigators: Rainer, Norman B.
Small Business: Dynaphore Inc.
EPA Contact:
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2000 through March 1, 2001
Project Amount: $64,500
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2000) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Waste , Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Description:

The purpose of this project was to find a low cost "in-situ" technique for the removal of mercury from water.

During the course of the research a dilemma arose as to the exact definition of "in-situ." For example, in the case of ground water remediation, we can assume that in-situ ideally means that some sort of magic wand will be waved over the ground, and the problem would disappear forever.

Since the removal of mercury from water is an accumulative phenomenon, at some point the gathered mercury either has to be physically removed or converted to a permanently innocuous state.

There are few, if any examples of in-situ remediation in acceptance today. Perhaps the applications most closely approaching "in-situ" are those where an insolubilizing or oxidizing agent is sprayed onto contaminated soil, and reactive barrier walls which destroy trichloroethylene. But even these applications may be questionable with respect to long-term results.

For the purpose of this project, an "in-situ" remediation was considered to have the following attributes:
1) effectiveness with a short contact time of less than 10 minutes
2) sufficiently low impedence to flow as to enable gravity flow to work
3) high tolerance to suspended solids
4) no requisite pretreatment of the influent water
5) no personnel required
6) no electricity needed, and no pumping
7) low cost
8) easy installation and disposal.

With the above definition of "in-situ" in mind, this project began with the assumption that the sponge format of FORAGER polymer would be the targeted product. It was envisioned that fishnet containers holding FORAGER Sponge would be positioned, for example, at the gate of a Waterloo Funnel-Gate system for intercepting a plume of ground water.
However, in the course of many commercial contacts made during this project, it became apparent that there is relatively little current need for the sponge format. It was found instead that there was great interest in the granular product, not only for removal of mercury, but also for the removal of arsenic, lead and chromate.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

The granular product developed in this project was found to have mercury absorption properties comparable to existing mercury-absorbing products, but at a lower cost.

Conclusions:

It therefore appears expedient for Dynaphore, Inc. to redirect its emphasis toward production of granular absorbent products.

The granular form may in fact be employed in situations which may be considered "in-situ" or at least "passive." For example, a granule-filled filter cartridge plumbed into the discharge pipe of a dental office for Hg removal, appears to meet all the above criteria for "in-situ." Likewise, a 55 gallon in-line treatment drum of granules for receiving and treating gravity runoff landfill leachate may be considered "in-situ." Similarly, granule-filled point of use (POU) cartridges for remediating drinking water may be considered "in-situ."

The essence of the work done and knowledge acquired in the course of this project points to FORAGER polymer in granule form as a viable commercial product for use in removing from water trace levels of mercury, arsenic, lead and chromate.

Supplemental Keywords:

Small business, SBIR, groundwater, waste water, metals removal, remediation, engineering, chemistry, EPA., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, Water, Waste, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, National Recommended Water Quality, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Remediation, HAPS, Chemistry, Arsenic, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Water Pollutants, 33/50, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mercury, contaminated sites, cadmium & cadmium compounds, Lead Compounds, in situ remediation, lead, lead & lead compounds, landfills, mercury & mercury compounds, Mercury Compounds, copper, cadmium, extraction of metals, heavy metal contamination, heavy metals, groundwater, Cadmium Compounds, leachate