[Dodp3] Zeolites and Hydrocarbons and Heavy metals

Fri Aug 16 10:21:19 EDT 2002

Ron,

Your metal numbers seem extremely high for a wheel and tire shop.  You have
certainly

looked at a number of solutions to treat the problem.  Did you go back to
the source of the 

metal contamination?  I believe that you might have some good successes by
looking into the processes and trying to eliminate some of those things that
are contributing to the high metal contamination.  Also based on some of our
experience with the metals problems you may find 

that some of the processes are incorporating different types of solvents
(approved and/or 

unapproved types). 

I have passed this on to our wastewater pretreatment group for their look.
Perhaps they 

may see some easy solution here.

JOSEPH B. YATES

Base Operations Support

Environmental Management Divison

(502) 624-8672    DSN 464

Joseph.Yates at knox.army.mil <mailto:Joseph.Yates at knox.army.mil> 

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Hull [mailto:ronhull at knology.net] 
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 8:28 PM
To: DOD Listserver
Subject: [Dodp3] Zeolites and Hydrocarbons and Heavy metals

Hello All

Would like to share and get your feedback on a little issue I have been

looking into(Read: Time to pick your brains again).

Our wheel and tire shop has been busting the sanitary sewer disposal limits

for the last few months on

Chromium    mg / Kg (ppm)     105.0

Lead        mg / Kg (ppm)     36.0

Arsenic     mg / Kg (ppm)     29.4

Barium      mg / Kg (ppm)     36.4

Cadmium     mg / Kg (ppm)     94.2

Mercury     mg / Kg (ppm)     <0.001

Selenium    mg / Kg (ppm)     458.0

Silver      mg / Kg (ppm)     4.6

Total Hydrocarbons      mg / L      514

I have looked at various methods,  Electro coagulation seemed very hopeful

at first but would require an alteration of the ph of the process bath to

enable the "flow" of electrons from positive to negative

terminals.....scratch that one.

Nanofiltration was too expensive

Exorcism was cheap but didn't do diddly to the contamination  ( ok just

kidding )

I looked at major corporations such as Rayovac and Motorola and requested

info from them but their processes were only economical at very large

scales.

Also requested info from about 8 water filtration companies but again their

process was geared toward the million gallon to billion gallon a year range

to become viable  ( and I don't need the water drinkable just reusable)

Thought I had an answer in thermo / evaporation techniques, but alas, the

Florida Department of Environmental Protection holds that evaporating the

water out of the solution would be considered treatment.

Read about sargasum weed ( Yeah the seaweed ) being a very effective agent

for capturing heavy metals but it was just recently noted and no one is

doing anything commercial with it ( and I cant swim that well so drop that

idea )

Looked at a HydroCyclone machine and while it would effectively remove the

oil ( and considering density and viscosity of the detergent the detergent

as well ) it would not touch the metals in solution and eventually they

would build up to become a health concern.

Looked at the MART corporation's EQ-1 as a method for "enflockulation" ( I

would call it precipitation but that's just me I guess) of the contaminates,

sent samples but thus far no results from the MART corporation.

Looked at zeolites,  ( Google search for water treatment turned up

zeolites ) and that led to the FABCO Industry's PureFlow FS-55.  This piece

of equipment was tested at Edwards AFB and Niagara Falls ANG base on

different applications ( Mop water and Engine Compressor washing )  So I

sent them a sample ( initial results above ) and they turned out this

                                    % reduced   Allowable for sanitary
sewer??

Chromium    mg / Kg (ppm)     0.44  99.58%      YES

Lead        mg / Kg (ppm)     0.01  99.97%      YES

Arsenic     mg / Kg (ppm)     0.16  99.46%      YES

Barium      mg / Kg (ppm)     0.12  99.67%      YES

Cadmium     mg / Kg (ppm)     2.69  97.14%      NO

Mercury     mg / Kg (ppm)Not detected N/A       YES

Selenium    mg / Kg (ppm)     0.01  100.00%     YES

Silver      mg / Kg (ppm)     0.01  99.78%      YES

pH                                  8.67 - 8.84 * pH varied by sample

Total Hydrocarbons      mg / L      Undeterminable

It appears that the remaining hydrocarbons are still emulsified with the

detergent and they can not get an accurate reading on the sample.  I have a

picture that shows the raw material as coal black and the filtered material

as a cloudy yellowish amber.

Side benefit of zeolite filtration was that 59% of the very expensive

detergent remains in solution.  Annual savings estimated at about 12K (

between avoidance of disposal and retention of the detergent ) This savings

includes the new operating costs incurred by purchasing the zeolite filter

media.....Soooo

brain picking time,

Who else has had this type of problem?

What was your solution?

Have I missed an obvious solution pursuing this one?

( I did consider the thought of slipping the water into a nuclear waste site

and let them deal with it, but no one would loan me a large enough

truck...*sighs* )

As I said before I am not looking to make this drinkable and the retention

of the detergent was a bonus if looking at reuse of the process bath,  if I

am looking at disposing of the material a bit of additional filtration would

probably lower the cadmium enough to allow for sanitary sewer disposal, and

still save some money, but I worry that I am missing something here.

The zeolites capture the metals and in doing so release on a 2 for one basis

ions of potassium and sodium so we are looking as most 1000 ppm of sodium /

potassium.  A material researcher I have spoken with doesn't see that as a

concern.  ( Water softeners do the same thing and that's before you drink

the water!)  I wouldn't think it would be but thought that this might reach

someone with the knowledge to verify or raise a flag on it.

 Do you think this is a viable solution?

Do you think I spend too much time at home working on this stuff?  ( Putting

on lead lined vest to protect from the wife's glare)

Any feedback would be appreciated  (especially if its pointers on how to

sooth an angry spouse! )

Thanks

Ron

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