Grantee Research Project Results
Emulsion Liquid Membrane Extraction of Chromium(VI) from Superfund Sites
EPA Contract Number: 68D10050Title: Emulsion Liquid Membrane Extraction of Chromium(VI) from Superfund Sites
Investigators: Wright, John D.
Small Business: TDA Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 1991 through March 1, 1992
Project Amount: $50,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (1991) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , SBIR - Waste , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Chromium contamination is present at over one-half of the Superfund Sites. Chromium(VI) is a strong oxidizer toxic, carcinogenic, and is particularly difficult to manage because chromium is usually present as an anion. It has little interaction with the soil, resulting in widespread ground- water contamination, and it cannot be treated by conven- tional processes which are designed to remove cations. Conventional processes for chromium removal (reduction followed by precipitation) are very expensive for the dilute streams typical of ground-water contamination. Therefore, TDA Research proposes the use of Emulsion Liquid Mem- branes (ELM) to preconcentrate chromium contaminated water, which could result from pump-and-treat, in situ soil washing, for on-site extraction. By combining both a complexing and strapping agent in a single unit operation, ELM is capable of concentrating chromium by a factor of greater than 1000. In Phase 1, TDA Research would develop a suitable emulsion (solvent, completing agent, surfactant, and stripping agent), conduct experiments to demonstrate process feasibility, and carry out economic analyses to compare TDA Research's ELM process with other competing chromium concentration and/or removal processes.Supplemental Keywords:
Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Toxics, Hazardous, National Recommended Water Quality, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Economics & Decision Making, Engineering, Chemistry, hexavalent chromium, Environmental Chemistry, 33/50, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Chemistry and Materials Science, Market mechanisms, cleaner production/pollution prevention, New/Innovative technologies, Environmental Engineering, heavy metals, chromium & chromium compounds, metal removal, Chromium, carcinogenicity, membrane technology, carcinogen, economic analysis, emulsion liquid membranes (ELM), innovative technologies, complexing agents, groundwater contamination, econometrics, surfactant, hazardous waste, solvents, groundwater, extraction, extraction of metals, contaminants, liquid membrane process, econometric analysis, metals removal, restoration, Superfund sitesProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.