# US 12,109,547 B2 · Method for treating an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution

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- Number: US 12,109,547 B2
- Document ID: US12109547B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/403,968
- Filed: 2021-08-17
- Published: 2021-12-02
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-08-29
- Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals; King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
- Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals; King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
- Inventors: Bassam Shafiq Tawabini; Muataz Ali Atieh; Faraj Ahmad Abuilaiwi; Segun Biodun Adebayo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109547B2

## CPC

- B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
- B01J 20/02: comprising inorganic material
- B01J 20/0233: {Compounds of Cu, Ag, Au}
- B01J 20/28059: {being less than 100 m2/g}
- C02F 1/288: {using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered}
- C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents}
- C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them}
- C02F 2101/34: containing oxygen
- C02F 2305/08: Nanoparticles or nanotubes
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- 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)

## Abstract

A method for treating an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution includes forming an adsorbent by treating fly ash with nitric acid and then doping the resultant acid-treated fly ash particles with AgNO3 and calcining. The adsorbent is used to contact an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution to adsorb the MTBE and the adsorbent and to form a purified aqueous phase which is then separated from the adsorbent.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for treating an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution, comprising:
burning a liquid fuel and collecting a raw fly ash by electrostatic precipitator;
forming acid-treated fly ash particles by stirring the raw fly ash with nitric acid to form a slurry; and
washing the slurry to produce the acid-treated fly ash particles which consist of carbon, oxygen, and sulfur;
doping the acid-treated fly ash particles with AgNO3 and calcining to form an adsorbent composition comprising the acid-treated fly ash particles and silver oxide nanoparticles; the silver oxide nanoparticles have diameters in a range of 1-10 nm;
wherein the silver oxide nanoparticles are present on the surface and in pore spaces of the acid-treated fly ash particles;
wherein the adsorbent composition contains particles having sizes in a range of 100 nm to 2.5 μm and a BET surface area of at least 16.789 m2/g,
wherein the acid-treated fly ash particles and the silver oxide nanoparticles are present in the adsorbent composition at mass percentages of 50-90% and 10-50%, respectively, based on the total weight of the adsorbent composition;
contacting the MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution with the adsorbent composition in a tank for 30 minutes to 5 hours to adsorb the MTBE and form a purified aqueous phase; then
separating the purified aqueous phase from the adsorbent composition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent composition consists of acid-treated fly ash particles and silver oxide nanoparticles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent composition consists of 76.3 wt % carbon, 7.8 wt % oxygen, 5.3 wt % sulfur, and 10.6 wt % silver oxide nanoparticles, each relative to a total weight of the adsorbent composition.