Process for treating waste water having low concentrations of metallic contaminants
AssigneeSavannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
InventorsBrian B. Looney, Margaret R. Millings, Ralph L. Nichols, William L. Payne
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Abstract
A process for treating waste water having a low level of metallic contaminants by reducing the toxicity level of metallic contaminants to an acceptable level and subsequently discharging the treated waste water into the environment without removing the treated contaminants.
Claims10
A process for treating waste water having low concentration of metallic contaminants before discharging the water into the environment consisting of the steps of:
- (a) monitoring biogeochemical parameters that indicate the toxicity of the metal contaminant in the waste water,
- (b) treating the waste water using an amendment having a 0 acid compound to reduce the toxicity of the metallic contaminants therein to a predetermined level without removing of said contaminant from said waste water;
- and
- (c) discharging the treated waste water.
A process for reducing the toxicity of metallic contaminants within a discharge stream prior to release into the environment consisting of the steps of:
- monitoring the toxicity level of a metal contaminant within a discharge stream;
- introducing dissolved organic carbon containing potassium humate to the discharge stream;
- allowing the dissolved organic carbon containing potassium humate to bind to the contaminant, thereby reducing the bioavalability of the contaminant;
- and
- releasing the discharge stream having the contaminant bound to the amendment into the environment, wherein the toxicity of the contaminant is reduced by binding to the dissolved organic carbon containing potassium humate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.