Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
(OP)
Hello,
I'm looking for any useful information on the options available for removal of heavy metals, specifically arsenic, copper and mercury, from an oily water discharge system.
current levels and requirements are approx. 0.4 mg/l down to 0.1 or less for arsenic and copper and 0.1 down to 0.02 mg/l for mecury. We're talking about 20kg of metal annually. dilution is not regarded as being acceptable, at least at this stage.
We've found removal systems for individual elements, but would prefer some sort of absorption bed or relatively small unit to avoid any flocculation systems etc to remove this, even it means dual beds and changing the material on a regular basis. Any suggestions as to suitable technologies would be gratefully received. Site is in Europe, but could source equipment from anywhere in the world.
Thanks
I'm looking for any useful information on the options available for removal of heavy metals, specifically arsenic, copper and mercury, from an oily water discharge system.
current levels and requirements are approx. 0.4 mg/l down to 0.1 or less for arsenic and copper and 0.1 down to 0.02 mg/l for mecury. We're talking about 20kg of metal annually. dilution is not regarded as being acceptable, at least at this stage.
We've found removal systems for individual elements, but would prefer some sort of absorption bed or relatively small unit to avoid any flocculation systems etc to remove this, even it means dual beds and changing the material on a regular basis. Any suggestions as to suitable technologies would be gratefully received. Site is in Europe, but could source equipment from anywhere in the world.
Thanks
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Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way





RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
Selective adsorption that will take out only the heavy metals and arsenic and leave behind the light ones (which are at much higher concentrations of course) is asking for a bit of a magic bullet. You may find something, but I'm not sure what it would be. I see some notes about activated alumina, iron filings, iron oxide etc. being effective for arsenic but I don't know how well that would work for copper or mercury.
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
One would expect that you would still have to adjust the pH and flocculate. You may be able to use inline flocculation and roughing and polishing filters.
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
thanks for the response and we're seeing that the magic bullet might not exist. Although it would take out everything else, do you think an membrane filter would remove all this as well? The end chamber where they measure the discharge takes water from a wide variety of locations and systems so finding the source, which has slowly increased over time, is proving very difficult and could be a number of them all contributing to the total. Client thinks it better to deal with it all at the end point just prior to discharge.
I'll dig out the rest of the data from my colleague tomorrow and let you know what the other parameters are.
My motto: Learn something new every day
Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
My motto: Learn something new every day
Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
RE: Removal of heavy metals from water outfall
My motto: Learn something new every day
Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way