ALTERNATIVE SOURCE FOR METAL CHELATION COMPOUNDS

THERE IS A NEED FOR CHEMICALS WITH A HIGH METAL BINDING CAPACITY WHICH ALSO ALLOWS FOR RECOVERY OF THE METALS IN A CONCENTRATED FORM. THIS CHEMICAL SHOULD PERMIT REPEATED RECYCLING, FUNCTION AT LOW METAL CONCENTRATIONS, AND BE COSTCOMPETITIVE WITH EXISTING RESINS. IDEALLY, THIS AGENT WOULDBE PRODUCED IN VOLUME BY INDUSTRIALLY CONTROLLED PROCESSES FROM INEXPENSIVE AND READILY AVAILABLE RAW MATERIAL. THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE OF CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLY HIGH QUALITY. THE CONTRACTOR HAS DEVELOPED A SET OF PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGIES FOR PRODUCTION OF SPECIALTY POLYMERS. IN THE PROPOSED RESEARCH, THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE APPLIED TO THEPRODUCTION OF A METAL-BINDING AGENT TO MEET THE CRITERIA DESCRIBED ABOVE.