# US 11,440,821 B2 · Water-purifying agent and water purification method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,821 B2 - Document ID: US11440821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/988,820 - Filed: 2020-08-10 - Published: 2020-11-26 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-30 - Assignees: Dexerials Corporation - Applicants: Dexerials Corporation - Inventors: Masahiko Ito; Ryu Shimada; Takanori Fujita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440821B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/5263: {using natural chemical compounds} - B01D 21/01: using flocculating agents (for purifying water C02F1/52; for liquid radioactive waste G21F9/10) - B01J 20/24: Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives - B01J 20/3014: {Kneading} - B01J 20/3028: {Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating} - C02F 1/5227: {Processes for facilitating the dissolution of solid flocculants in water} - C02F 1/56: Macromolecular compounds - B01J 20/28016: {Particle form} - B01J 20/3231: {characterised by the coating or impregnating layer} - C02F 2101/103: {Arsenic compounds} - C02F 2101/14: Fluorine or fluorine-containing compounds - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2101/203: {Iron or iron compound} - C02F 2101/22: Chromium or chromium compounds, e.g. chromates - 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) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS ## Abstract Provided is a water-purifying agent formed of a granulated product including a mixture of a plant powder and a polymeric flocculant, wherein a surface of the granulated product includes a coated portion in which the plant powder is coated with the polymeric flocculant and a non-coated portion in which the plant powder is not coated with the polymeric flocculant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a water-purifying agent, the water-purifying agent comprising a granulated product that comprises a mixture of a plant powder and a polymeric flocculant, the method comprising: mixing the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant and kneading the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant with addition of moisture using a mixer, to obtain a kneaded product; shaping the kneaded product into a sheet shape by a stretching method using a roller, to obtain a sheet-shaped product; drying the sheet-shaped product, to obtain a dried sheet; and pulverizing the dried sheet to obtain the granulated product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the plant powder further comprises any one of mulukhiya, Japanese mustard spinach, Japanese honewort, potherb mustard, and spinach. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a median diameter of the water-purifying agent is 150 micrometers or greater. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of subjecting the pulverized powder to a classifier to remove particles particle less than 200 micrometers and greater than 900 micrometers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the plant powder is of Corchorus olitorius and the polymeric flocculant is a polyacrylamide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant are kneaded for a time period of 5 minutes to 25 minutes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the granulated product comprises a coated portion in which the plant powder is coated with the polymeric flocculant and a non-coated portion in which the plant powder is not coated with the polymeric flocculant; wherein a ratio of an area of the coated portion to a total of the area of the coated portion and an area of the non-coated portion is from 10% through 90%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein a ratio of an area of the coated portion to a total of the area of the coated portion and an area of the non-coated portion is from 30% through 70%. ### Claim 9 A water purification method, comprising: preparing a water-purifying agent, wherein the water-purifying agent comprises a granulated product, wherein the water purifying agent is prepared by the steps of: a) mixing the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant and kneading the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant with addition of moisture using a mixer to obtain a kneaded product: b) shaping the kneaded product into a sheet shape by a stretching method using a roller to obtain a sheet-shaped product; c) drying the sheet-shaped product to obtain a dried sheet; and d) pulverizing the dried sheet to obtain the granulated product; and feeding a dispersion liquid of the water-purifying agent which contains the granulated product to wastewater including an inorganic unnecessary substance to remove the inorganic unnecessary substance in the wastewater, wherein the wastewater is wastewater including the inorganic unnecessary substance that contains at least any one of nickel, fluorine, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, cadmium, tin, and lead. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: subjecting at least any one of inorganic ions selected from the group consisting of a nickel ion, a fluorine ion, an iron ion, a copper ion, a zinc ion, a chromium ion, an arsenic ion, a cadmium ion, a tin ion, and a lead ion contained in the inorganic unnecessary substance to an insolubilizing treatment, wherein the step of feeding the dispersion liquid to the wastewater is done after the step of subjecting the at least any one of inorganic ions to the insolubilizing treatment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the plant powder and the polymeric flocculant are kneaded for a time period of 5 minutes to 25 minutes.