Removal of mercury from sulfuric acid
AssigneeASARCO Incorporated
InventorsVal Kudryk, Martin Goffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for removing mercury from a sulfuric acid solution including the steps of mixing the sulfuric acid solution with a hydrocarbon solution to form a chemical complex containing mercury. The hydrocarbon solution typically contains a lower alcohol and a halogen component. The mercury complex is removed by the addition of activated carbon and subsequent filtration. Alternatively, solvent extraction, volatilization or other suitable separation techniques can be used.
Claims16
A method for removing mercury from a sulfuric acid solution comprising adding to said acid solution both a liquid organic compound soluble in said sulfuric acid and containing chemically bound oxygen and a halogen component chosen from the group consisting of halogens and halides the atomic ratio between said halogen component and said mercury being at least about 1:1 forming a complex that includes said mercury, and removing said complex from said acid solution.
A method for removing mercury from a sulfuric said solution comprising adding to said acid solution a hydrocarbon liquid solution comprising an organic liquid and a halogen component, said organic liquid being soluble in said acid solution and chosen from the group consisting of alcohols, ketones, esters and acids having a molecular carbon content from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, said halogen component chosen from the group consisting of halogens and halides, the atomic ratio between said halogen is said organic liquid solution and mercury in said acid solution being at least about 1:1, mixing said acid solution and said hydrocarbon liquid solution, adding particulate activated carton to said acid solution subsequent to said mixing step, dispersing said activated carbon, and filtering said activated carbon from said acid solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.