Separation Science and Technology User Facility

Facility Description

The Separation Science and Technology User Facility houses a number of prototype polymer filtration (ultrafiltration) units that process an aqueous waste stream at rates of a few milliliters per minute to several gallons per minute. The facility has analytical capabilities such as AA, ICP-AES, IC, and a dedicated mercury analyzer to analyze permeates to determine levels of metal removal.

Polymer Filtration is a new technology that uses water-soluble solute-polymers that selectively bind and recover solutes such as metal ions and other selected small molecules from waste streams. The polymer-solute association is ultrafiltered and the target solute is concentrated using off-the-shelf ultrafiltration equipment and membranes. The target solute can then be recovered in concentrated for reuse or proper waste management and the empty polymer is recycled back to the process for further solute binding. The final water discharge meets all regulatory requirements. We have successfully demonstrated a commercial system for application to metal recovery from electroplating rinse baths, recovery of mercury from debris and dilute solutions, recovery of actinides from process and waste waters, removal of arsenic from drinking waters, and removal and recover of metals from acid mine drainage wastes.

Equipment

(The three-stage unit designed for instillation into The Plutonium Facility)

See above description. Additional information may be available at http://scrub.lanl.gov/2002/pf/index2.htm

Last Update: 21 May 2003

Technical Contact
Barbara Smith
C-ACT
Mail Stop: J964
Phone: 505-667-2391
Fax: 505-665-2342
E-mail Address: bfsmith@lanl.gov