STTR Phase I: Ultraviolet Activated Chelation (UVAC) for the Recovery of Hg from Industrial Wastewater

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project focuses on developing an advanced oxidation technology to meet current and pending regulations for concentrations of mercury that can be emitted in industrial wastewaters. In the current project, a proprietary photocatalyst will be used to investigate the ability to oxidize and remove the Hg. The research objectives of this project will be to better understand the removal process, to optimize the removal of mercury using this approach, and to define the parameters necessary for future development. Mercury concentrations below 100 ppt are anticipated via the proposed approach. The approach has the robustness to remove Hg from a variety of different waste streams and requires less O&M costs than traditional water treatment technologies. Mercury emissions, whether originating from air emissions or industrial effluents severely threaten the ecosystem and the fishing industry. Typically, environmental technologies are viewed as necessities for environmental compliance, and not as positively impacting their profit statements. The proposed approach can potentially alter this view; this process could possibly remove Hg from caustic, a commodity product for the industry.