RECOVERY OF ARSENIC, ANTIMONY, CHLOROCARBONS FROM SPENT FLUOROCARBON CATALYST

IN NOVEMBER OF 1984 THE PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO LAW A SET OF FAR-REACHING AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT OF 1976. UNDER THE NEW LAW, LAND DISPOSAL OF ALL HAZARDOUS WASTES IS TO BE BANNED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLE, AND INCINERATION ARE EMPHASIZED. PARTICULARLY TARGETED ARE WASTE STREAMS CONTAINING HALOG ENATED SOLVENTS AND ARSENIC DUE TO THE THREATS THESE MA MATERIALS POSE TO HUMAN HEALTH AND TO THE ENVIRONMENT. PRESENT TECHNOLOGY FOR RECOVERY AND RECYCLE OR FOR THE INCINERATION OF HAZARDOUS HALOGENATED ORGANIC WASTES CANNOT BE APPLIED TO ALL SUCH MATERIALS. STREAMS WHICH CONTAIN COMPLEXAZEOTROPIC MIXTURES OR ARE CORROSIVE, HIGHLY REACTIVE, OR ACIDIC ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH CURRENT DISTILLATION/SEPAR ARATION OR INCINERATION EQUIPMENT. THE SPENT CATALYST FROM FLUOROCARBON MANFUCTURING PROCESSES IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A HAZARDOUS AND TOXIC WASTE STREAM WHICH WILL BE TARGETEDEARLY BY THE NEW ACT AND FOR WHICH CURRENT DISPOSAL TECHNO NOLOGY IS INADEQUATE. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH (PHASE I) INVESTIGATES THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF RECOVERING ARSENIC, ANTIMONY, AND CHLORACARBONS FROM SPENT FLUOROCARBONCATALYST WITH ALMOST TOTAL RECYCLE OR REUSE OF THE METAL VALUES AND RECYCLE OR INCINERATION OF THE HALOCARBONS. FINAL SOLID WASTER PRODUCTS OF THE PROCESS WILL BE MINIMAL AND NONHAZARDOUS.