REMOVAL AND RECOVERY OF MERCURY FROM CONTAMINATED WATERS

REMOVAL OF MERCURY FROM CONTAMINATED WATERS IS A CONTINUING NEED FOR DOE'S SITE REMEDIATION EFFORTS. SOME SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE DISCHARGE OF CONTAMINATED WATER IS CONTINUING FROM MERCURY LOST TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE PAST. IN THE FUTURE, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT MERCURY-CONTAMINATED STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT WILL BE SUBJECTED TO AQUEOUS WASHES, AND THAT THIS WATER WILL NEED TO BE TREATED BEFORE DISCHARGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. ACTIVATED CARBON, ION EXCHANGE RESINS, AND DERIVATIVES OF ALGAE HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR THIS PURPOSE, BUT THESE TECHNIQUES OFTEN REMOVE ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE MERCURY AND GENERATE SOLID OR LIQUID WASTES FROM WHICH THE MERCURY MAY VOLATILIZE OR BE LEACHED. THE PHASE I RESEARCH PEOJECT WILL INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF REMOVING MERCURY FROM CONTAMINATED WATERS AT DOE REMEDIATION SITES WITH NOVEL, REGENERABLE SORBENT BEDS. THIS SORBENT-BASED TECHNOLOGY WILL RECOVER THE MERCURY, REMOVING IT COMPLETELY FROM THE BIOSYSTEM, AND WILL ALLOW DOE SITES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH LEGISLATED DISCHARGE LIMITS FOR MERCURY. THE PROPOSED SORBENTS HAVE A HIGH CAPACITY FOR MERCURY, AND THE ESTIMATED CAPITAL COST OF THE PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY IS NO MORE THAN THAT OF ACTIVATED CARBON SYSTEMS USED FOR THE CONTROL OF ORGANICS IN WASTE WATERS.