# US 2016/0016818 A1 · Selenium and other contaminants removal process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0016818 A1 - Document ID: US20160016818A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/802,480 - Filed: 2015-07-17 - Published: 2016-01-21 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-21 - Assignees: MAR Systems, Inc. - Applicants: MAR Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Nancy S. SHERWOOD; Matthew T. LUEBBERS; Rebecca H. CARROLL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160016818A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/705: {Reduction by metals} - C02F 2101/006: {Radioactive compounds} - C02F 2101/106: {Selenium compounds} - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2209/06: pH - 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 system for reducing a level of metallic contaminants from an aqueous stream is described, including at least one of an aluminum oxide sorption media and an ion exchange media (media 1) and a functionalized activated alumina media (media 2), wherein the system is configured to: a. lower the pH of the metallic contaminant -contaminated aqueous stream to less than 6, b. contact the metallic contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media (media 1) c. contact the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media (media 2) wherein the contact with the at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media and the functionalized activated alumina media forms a metallic contaminant-reduced aqueous solution; and d. discharge a metallic contaminant -depleted aqueous solution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for reducing a level of metallic contaminants from an aqueous stream, wherein the system is configured to: a. lower the pH of a metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to a pH of less than 6; b. contact the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of an aluminum oxide sorption media and an ion exchange media; c. contact the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with a functionalized activated alumina media, wherein contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with (1) the at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media and (2) the functionalized activated alumina media forms a metallic contaminant-reduced aqueous solution; and d. discharge the metallic contaminant-reduced aqueous solution. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media is followed by said lowering the pH of a metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to a pH of less than 6, and wherein said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media and said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant contaminated aqueous stream precedes said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to pH less than 6 is followed by said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media, and wherein said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant contaminated aqueous stream and said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media precedes said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pH is lowered to a range of 1.0 to 4. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lowering of the pH of the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream is carried out by the addition of an acid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the pH is lowered by the addition of the acid to the aqueous stream to lower the pH to <5.5. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of a mineral acid, an organic acid and carbonic acid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and formic acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the aluminum oxide sorption media is porous activated alumina. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the activated alumina media further comprises at least one of iron, copper, and manganese. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the functionalized activated alumina media comprises a support substrate of aluminum oxide promoted with at least one of iron and copper and functional groups reacted onto the substrate to act as active bonding sites for the metallic contaminants. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the active bonding sites for the metallic contaminant removal on the functionalized activated alumina media include at least one of aluminum, sulfur, ammonium, iron and copper compounds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises all species of soluble selenium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises at least one of selenate, selenite and selenocyanate species. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream -to-media contact time is 1 minute to 24 hours. ### Claim 16 A method for reducing a level of metallic contaminants from an aqueous stream, comprising: a. lowering the pH of a metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to a pH less than 6; b. contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of an aluminum oxide sorption media and an ion exchange media; and c. contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with a functionalized activated alumina media. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media is followed by said lowering the pH of a metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to a pH of less than 6, and wherein said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media and said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant contaminated aqueous stream precedes said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to pH less than 6 is followed by said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media, and wherein said lowering the pH of metallic contaminant contaminated aqueous stream and said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with at least one of the aluminum oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media precedes said contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the pH is lowered to a range of 1.0 to 4. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lowering of pH of the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream is carried out by the addition of an acid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of a mineral acid, an organic acid and carbonic acid. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and formic acid. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the pH is lowered by the addition of an acid to the aqueous stream to pH <5.5. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with a functionalized activated alumina media forms a contaminant-reduced acidic aqueous solution, the method further comprising the steps of: a. increasing the pH of the contaminant-reduced acidic aqueous solution; and b. discharging the metallic contaminant-reduced aqueous solution. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises at least one of selenium, mercury, arsenic, copper, d-block transition metals, heavy metals, silica, fluoride, cyanide, orthophosphate, inorganic salts, radioactive compounds and organic metallic compounds. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the aluminum oxide sorption media is porous activated alumina. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the activated alumina media further comprises at least one of iron, copper, and manganese. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the functionalized activated alumina media comprises a support substrate of aluminum oxide promoted with at least one of iron and copper and functional groups reacted onto the substrate to act as active bonding sites for the metallic contaminants. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, where in the active bonding sites for the metallic contaminant removal on the functionalized activated alumina media include at least one of aluminum, sulfur, ammonium, iron and copper compounds. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises a species of soluble selenium. ### Claim 31 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises at least one of selenate, selenite and selenocyanate species. ### Claim 32 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream-to-media contact time is 1 minute to 24 hours. ### Claim 33 A kit for reducing a level of metallic contaminants from an aqueous stream, comprising: a. at least one of an aluminum oxide sorption media and ion exchange media; b. a functionalized activated alumina media; c. instructions for lowering the pH of the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to less than 6 before or after contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the at least one of the alumina oxide sorption media and the ion exchange media; d. instructions for contacting the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream with the functionalized activated alumina media after lowering the pH of the contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the pH is lowered to a range of 1.0 to 4. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the instructions for lowering the pH of the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream to less than 6 further specifies the addition of an acid for said lowering of pH. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The kit of claim 35, wherein the pH is lowered by the addition of an acid to the aqueous stream to pH <5.5. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The kit of claim 35, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of a mineral acid, an organic acid, and carbonic acid. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The kit of claim 35, wherein the acid is one or more acids selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and formic acid. ### Claim 39 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the aluminum oxide sorption media is porous activated alumina. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The kit of claim 39, wherein the activated alumina media further comprise at least one of iron, copper, and manganese. ### Claim 41 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the functionalized activated alumina media comprises a support substrate of aluminum oxide promoted with at least one of iron and copper and functional groups reacted onto the substrate to act as active bonding sites for the metallic contaminants. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The kit of claim 41, wherein the active bonding sites for metallic contaminant removal on the functionalized activated alumina media include at least one of aluminum, sulfur, ammonium, iron and copper compounds. ### Claim 43 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises a species of soluble selenium. ### Claim 44 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the metallic contaminant comprises at least one of selenate, selenite and selenocyanate species. ### Claim 45 (depends on 33) The kit of claim 33, wherein the metallic contaminant-contaminated aqueous stream-to-media contact time is 1 minute to 24 hours.