1st Edition

Decontamination of Heavy Metals Processes, Mechanisms, and Applications

By Jiaping Paul Chen Copyright 2012
    454 Pages 201 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Heavy metals, such as lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, copper, and nickel, are important constituents of most living organisms, as well as many nonliving substances. Some heavy metals are essential for growth of biological and microbiological lives, yet their presence in excessive quantities is harmful to humans and interferes with many environmental processes. Heavy metals are also nonbiodegradable, making them more difficult to remediate. Decontamination of Heavy Metals: Processes, Mechanisms, and Applications tackles the subject of heavy metals in the environment, with special emphasis on their treatment, removal, recovery, disposal, management, and modeling.

    Concepts, Cutting-Edge Technologies, and Applications

    The book provides in-depth coverage of the major hazardous heavy metals that are found in water, land, and facilities and that have significant effects on public health and the environment. After an overview of heavy metal contamination, the text reviews the concepts and technologies of pollution prevention. It then examines technologies for metal decontamination, ranging from precipitation—which is the most commonly used—to cutting-edge technologies such as precipitation-crystallization, ion exchange, membrane filtration, and electrolysis. Mathematical models for metal removal and recovery are also included.

    Develop a Feasible Total Heavy Metal Control Program

    Complementing other books in the Advances in Industrial and Hazardous Wastes Treatment series, this volume presents important research related to the remediation of heavy metals. Extensive references are included for readers who want to trace, duplicate, or improve on a specific industrial hazardous waste treatment practice. A comprehensive handbook for environmental professionals, researchers, and students, it provides technical information to help readers develop a feasible total metal control program that can benefit both industry and local municipalities.

    Occurrence and Importance of Heavy Metal Contamination
    Introduction
    Economy and Metals
    Environmental Importance
    Toxicity of Heavy Metals
    Guidelines and Standards
    Sources of Heavy Metal Contamination
    Important Heavy Metals

    Pollution Prevention: Principles and Applications
    Introduction
    Motivation and Concept
    P2 Laws and Regulations
    P2 Technologies
    P2 Benefits
    Pollution Prevention Feasibility
    P2 Implementation and Revision
    Key Points in P2 Applications
    Case Studies

    Precipitation Technology
    Introduction
    Theory
    Pretreatment
    Posttreatment
    Key Devices in Pre- and Posttreatment Steps
    Case Studies
    Limitations and Solutions

    Precipitation–Crystallization Technology
    Introduction
    Description of Technology
    Theoretical Background
    Important Control Factors
    Case Studies

    Reduction-Oxidation Processes
    Introduction
    Chemical-Induced Reduction Processes
    Biological Reduction of Metal Sulfate
    Reduction of Hexavalent Chromium
    Reduction and Oxidation of Arsenic Species

    Electrochemical Technologies
    Introduction
    Electrodeposition Technology
    Electrocoagulation and Electroflotation

    Adsorption: Materials, Chemistry, and Applications
    Introduction
    Activated Carbon
    Biosorbents
    Metal Oxide
    Adsorption Treatment System

    Calculation of Metal Ion Uptake in Environmental Systems
    Sorption Reaction
    Ion Exchange
    Hybrid Model
    Computation Tools
    Modeling of the Adsorption Process
    Appendices

    Index
    Each chapter includes references.

    Biography

    Dr. J. Paul Chen is an associate professor of environmental engineering at the National University of Singapore. His research interests are physicochemical treatment of water and wastewater and modeling. He has published more than 100 journal papers and book chapters with a citation count of more than 2,500 and an H-index of 28. Professor Chen is also the co-editor of Heavy Metals in the Environment (CRC Press, 2009). He holds seven patents in the areas of sorption technologies, ballast water management, and exhaust gas treatment. Professor Chen has received various honors and awards, including guest professor of the Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology and Shandong University of China, and Distinguished Overseas Chinese Young Scholar of National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has been recognized as an author of highly cited papers (chemistry and engineering) of ISI Web of Knowledge. Professor Chen received his master’s in engineering from the Tsinghua University of Beijing and his Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta.

    This book covers fundamental theories of metal removal, including calculation of metal ion uptake in environmental systems. Professionals and students working in environmental engineering may find this book a very useful reference. ... This book is organized with a deliberately logical flow, defining concepts at the beginning, and gradually building up theories and applications.
    —Dr. Gang Chen, Florida State University, USA