# US 11,077,425 B2 · Systems and methods for body-proximate recoverable capture of mercury vapor during cremation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,425 B2 - Document ID: US11077425B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/329,873 - Filed: 2017-09-05 - Published: 2019-06-27 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-02 - Assignees: Regents of the University of Minnesota - Applicants: Regents of the University of Minnesota - Inventors: Sandra L. Myers; David R. Bowles; James Joseph Marti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077425B2 ## CPC - B01J 20/2805: {Sorbents inside a permeable or porous casing, e.g. inside a container, bag or membrane} - A61G 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass - B01D 53/0407: {Constructional details of adsorbing systems} - B01D 53/64: Heavy metals or compounds thereof, e.g. mercury - B01D 53/82: with stationary reactants - B01J 20/02: comprising inorganic material - B01J 20/28028: {Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments} - C04B 14/00: Use of inorganic materials as fillers, e.g. pigments, for mortars, concrete or artificial stone; Treatment of inorganic materials specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone (expanding or defibrillating materials C04B20/00) - C10G 70/00: Working-up undefined normally gaseous mixtures obtained by processes covered by groups C10G9/00, C10G11/00, C10G15/00, C10G47/00, C10G51/00 - F23G 1/00: Furnaces for cremation of human or animal carcasses - B01D 2253/106: Silica or silicates - B01D 2253/108: Zeolites - B01D 2253/11: Clays - B01D 2253/112: Metals or metal compounds not provided for in B01D2253/104 or B01D2253/106 - B01D 2257/602: Mercury or mercury compounds - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION ## Abstract Systems and methods for body-proximate recoverable capture of mercury vapor emitted during cremation of human remains having dental amalgam fillings containing mercury. In various embodiments, one or more recoverable mercury sorbent packets comprise a combination of nanoparticles of one or more chalcogens and a particulate refractory material contained in a refractory material packaging. The recoverable packets capture and contain elemental mercury vapor emitted during cremation from dental amalgam fillings containing mercury. The recoverable packets are placed external to the body and within the combustion chamber during cremation, and not within the flue or exhausts exiting the combustion chambers. In various embodiments, the recoverable packets are positioned within the casket or primary combustion chamber, and may be preferably positioned proximate the head and neck of the body with the aid of selectively-refractory containment structures. After cremation, the mercury laden recoverable sorbent packets may be removed from the ashen remains of the body, and optionally the mercury may be recovered and the sorbent packet reprocessed for reuse. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for recoverable capture of mercury vapor emitted during cremation of a human body having dental amalgam fillings containing mercury in one or more teeth in the body, the system comprising: at least one mercury sorbent packet that includes a combination of chalcogenic nanoparticles and a particulate refractory material contained in a refractory material packaging, the at least one sorbent packet being configured to be placed proximate an exterior of the body during cremation, and not within the body or within an exhaust of a combustion chamber in which cremation of the body occurs, whereby the at least one sorbent packet captures and contains elemental mercury vapor emitted during cremation from dental amalgam fillings containing mercury and is configured to be removed from ashen remains of the body after cremation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a containment structure configured to position at least one sorbent packet in a predetermined proximate relationship with the exterior of the body during cremation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure positions the at least one recoverable packet within an interior of a casket and proximate a head of the body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure comprises a face mask that positions the at least one recoverable packet proximate one or more of a nose, a mouth, an eye, an ears, or a neck of the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure comprises a shroud in which the at least one sorbent packet is selectively arranged such that the sorbent packet is secured within the shroud and the shroud is configured to be positioned over a covered portion of the body to define an expandable gas containment region proximate the covered portion of the body during at least a portion of the cremation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure comprises a hood in which the at least one sorbent packet is selectively arranged and the hood is configured to be positioned over a head of the body to define an expandable gas containment region proximate the head during at least a portion of the cremation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the hood is selectively-closable and includes a closure mechanism that is configured to be deployed to restrict a flow of gases from the hood once the hood is placed over the head. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the hood is configured such that the sorbent packet is secured within the hood and proximate at least one of a nose, a mouth, an eye, an ear or a neck of the body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure is selectively-refractive such that a flash point of a material of the containment structure is greater than a vaporization temperature of mercury, but less than a final operating temperature of the combustion chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the containment structure is secured to an interior surface of the combustion chamber prior to insertion of the body within the combustion chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the containment structure is configured with a selectively accessible interior portion within with at least one sorbent packet is positioned. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the containment structure further comprises a perforated surface between the interior portion and the combustion chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the containment structure comprises a movable panel having a set of louvers defined in a surface of the movable panel that is between the interior portion of the containment structure and the combustion chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sorbent packet is configured to permit mercury to be recovered and the sorbent packet to be reprocessed for reuse. ### Claim 15 A system for capture of mercury vapor emitted during cremation of a human body having dental amalgam fillings containing mercury in one or more teeth in the body, the system comprising: a fabric material having at least a portion of an inner surface coated with a sorbent layer that includes a combination of chalcogenic nanoparticles and a particulate refractory material, the inner surface of the fabric being configured to be placed proximate an exterior of the body during cremation, and not within the body or within an exhaust of a combustion chamber in which cremation of the body occurs, whereby the sorbent layer capture and contain elemental mercury vapor emitted during cremation from dental amalgam fillings containing mercury. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15 wherein the fabric material further comprises at least one pocket on the interior surface configured to accommodate a mercury sorbent packet that includes a combination of chalcogenic nanoparticles and a particulate refractory material contained in a refractory material packaging. ### Claim 17 A mercury absorption device for absorption of mercury vapor emitted during cremation in a combustion chamber of a human body having dental amalgam fillings containing mercury in one or more teeth in the body, comprising: one or more reclaimable mercury sorbent packets having a mercury sorbent material encapsulated by a cremation resistant material; and a containment structure configured to be secured external to the body to position the one or more reclaimable mercury sorbent packets within the combustion chamber proximate the body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17 wherein the containment structure is a hood and further includes a closure mechanism configured to contact a neck of the body and to secure the hood around the neck such that air flow is restricted out of the hood during at least a portion of the cremation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17 wherein the containment structure is secured to an interior surface of the combustion chamber prior to insertion of the body within the combustion chamber and is configured with a selectively accessible interior portion within with at least one sorbent packet is positioned. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17 wherein the containment structure comprises a movable panel having a set of louvers defined in a surface of the movable panel that is between the interior portion of the containment structure and the combustion chamber. ### Claim 21 A method of removing mercury released during cremation of a human body in a combustion chamber, comprising: providing a mercury sorbent material within a cremation resistant material to form a reclaimable mercury sorbent packet; and prior to cremation, placing one or more of the reclaimable mercury sorbent packets within a containment structure configured be secured external to the human body within the combustion chamber.