# US 5,711,015 A · Chemical decontamination using natural or artificial bone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,711,015 A - Document ID: US5711015A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/588,766 - Filed: 1996-01-19 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1996-01-19 - Inventors: Andrew J. Tofe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5711015A ## CPC - G21F 9/28: Treating solids - C02F 1/286: {using natural organic sorbents or derivatives thereof} - C02F 2101/006: {Radioactive compounds} - Y10S 502/516: Metal contaminant removal - G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02) - 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) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method of decontaminating a site of metals, particularly radioactive metals, is provided. The contaminated material is contacted with pulverized bone, which sorbs the metals from the contaminated material. The bone may be derived from any animals having bone, such as cattle. Prior to use, the organic compounds of the bone are removed, so that inorganic bone composed primarily of hydroxylapatite is obtained. The morphology of the bone, including its crystalline structure and porosity, is maintained. As an alternative to bone derived from animals, synthetic inorganic bone composed of hydroxylapatite and having a physical structure equivalent to animal-derived bone may be used. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of decontaminating a site of metals comprising: establishing a quantity of bone; contacting said metals with said quantity of bone: maintaining said contact for a sufficient time so that at least some of said metals are sorbed by at least some of said quantity of bone; and terminating contact between said metals and saint quantity of bone wherein said quantity of bone has had its organic compounds removed prior to said contacting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said quantity of bone has been pulverized or ground into particulates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein substantially all of said particulates have an approximate cross section of less than 0.1 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein substantially all of said particulates have an approximate cross section of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said quantity of bone is any animal bone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said quantity of bone is derived at least partially from a cattle carcass. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said quantity of bone is derived at least partially from a hog carcass. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said metals are selected from the group consisting of the transuranic elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said metals are plutonium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said metals are radioactive. ### Claim 11 A method of decontaminating a site of metals, comprising: establishing a quantity of bone; contacting said metals with said quantity of bone; maintaining said contact for a sufficient time so that at least some of said metals are sorbed by at least some of said quantity of bone; and terminating contact between said metals and said quantity of bone; wherein said bone is synthetic bone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said synthetic bone is composed primarily of hydroxylapatite having a morphological structure substantially equivalent to natural bone and containing substantially no organic compounds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said site is a liquid, and said contacting is performed by placing said particulates in a container that is liquid permeable and sold impermeable, and placing said container in fluid communication with said liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said liquid is an aqueous stream, and said contacting is performed by establishing liquid flow through said container, said maintaining contact occurs while the liquid flows through said container, and said terminating contact occurs when said liquid flows out of said container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said container has an inlet and an outlet, and at least one of said inlet or outlet is a sieve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: disposing of said particulates after said metal has been sorbed by said particulates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein said particulates are suspended in a liquid prior to said contacting. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said site is a solid. ### Claim 19 A synthetic bone useful for sorption of metal compounds, comprising: hydroxylapatite having a morphological structure substantially equivalent to natural bone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The synthetic bone of claim 19, wherein substantially no organic compounds are contained within the bone.