# US 11,306,007 B2 · Ferro-cavitation processes for target metal separation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,007 B2 - Document ID: US11306007B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/334,593 - Filed: 2017-09-20 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-20 - Assignees: National Research Council of Canada - Applicants: National Research Council of Canada - Inventors: Deepak M. Kirpalani; Dipti Prakash Mohapatra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306007B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/36: ultrasonic vibrations - B01D 9/0081: {Use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasound} - C02F 1/5245: {using basic salts, e.g. of aluminium and iron} - C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides} - C10G 15/08: by electric means or by electromagnetic or mechanical vibrations - C10G 31/10: with the aid of centrifugal force - C02F 2101/106: {Selenium compounds} - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2101/36: containing halogen - C02F 2101/38: containing nitrogen - C02F 2103/16: from metallurgical processes, i.e. from the production, refining or treatment of metals, e.g. galvanic wastes - C02F 2305/026: Fenton's reagent - C10G 2300/205: Metal content - C10G 2300/206: Asphaltenes - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - 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) - 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 ## Abstract Provided herein are processes for the removal and/or recovery of a target metal from a liquid sample, said process comprising: [1] applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid; and [2] adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals; thereby producing a target metal salt or metal oxide having a reduced solubility in the liquid sample, leading to removal of the target metal from the liquid sample. The use of metal ligands in such processes is also described, as well as systems for performing such processes. Methods, processes, and systems for removing organic contaminants from a liquid sample are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for removal of a target metal from a liquid sample, said process comprising: applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid; adding a ligand for the target metal to the liquid sample; wherein the ligand is 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine: and adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals; thereby producing a target metal salt or metal oxide having a reduced solubility in the liquid sample, leading to removal of the target metal from the liquid sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further leads to removal of target organic compounds from the liquid sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the target organic compounds comprise persistent organic polymers (POPs). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the POPs comprise perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS) or other Per- or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic cavitation is in a range of from 20 kHz to 2.4 MHz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample is or comprises a process affected water, an oil, a bitumen, or an asphaltenes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target metal is nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), or selenium (Se). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the iron (II) salt is FeSO4. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target metal salt or metal oxide having reduced solubility in the liquid sample is precipitated from the liquid sample and removed therefrom. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ligand complexes with the target metal, thereby further reducing solubility of the metal in the liquid sample, facilitating removal therefrom. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10, wherein complexation of the ligand with the metal results in precipitation of the metal from the liquid sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target metal is selenium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein selenium complexes with the ligand to form at least one complex having the structure: ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein no additional hydrogen peroxide is added to the liquid as part of the process. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen peroxide is generated in the liquid sample when acoustic cavitation is applied thereto. ### Claim 16 A process for upgrading bitumen, said process comprising: applying acoustic cavitation to the bitumen; adding a ligand to the bitumen; wherein the ligand is 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine: and adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the bitumen and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the bitumen, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals. ### Claim 17 A process for removal of an organic contaminant from a liquid sample, said process comprising: applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid sample; adding a liqand for the organic contaminant to the liquid sample; wherein the liqand is 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine: and adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid sample, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the acoustic cavitation is in a range of from 350 kHz to 800 kHz. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the acoustic cavitation is in a range of from 500-600 kHz.