Continuous Extraction of Heavy Metals From AMD Streams

The goal of this Phase I research project is to develop a polymeric system that is capable of binding and removing heavy metal ions from an acid mine drainage (AMD) stream. In addition, this system will undergo controlled release of these metal ions that does not depend on changes in pH or the introduction of special solvents. The proposed system will undergo multiple cycles of metal binding and release without significant degradation. The proposed polymeric metal binding system could find application in a variety of industries that generate metal waste streams, including metal refineries, plating plants, and mining operations. In particular, this technology could find use in remediation of AMD streams emanating from abandoned mines. In the first part of this research project, Eltron Research, Inc., will synthesize and test the ¿active site¿ of the polymeric system for binding/release kinetics and stability. In the second part of the project, the active site monomer will be bound in a polymeric system and evaluated in a similar fashion. Methods to evaluate kinetics and stability developed in Phase I, as well as what these evaluation methods reveal (i.e., pathways of decomposition), will guide the design of Phase II. In Phase II, new active site designs and polymerization methodologies will deliver self-contained units to remove heavy metal ions from a waste stream and preconcentrate them for recycling.