1. Novel Material for the Removal of PCBs and Mercury from Water
Chad Haehle, Ryan Lecus, Marcia Silva, David Garman
UWM Water Technology Accelerator

2. Introduction 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement PCBs and Mercury
Area of Concern due to industrialization
PCBs and Mercury
Environmental and health hazards
Bioaccumulation
Goal: Examine adsorption properties of novel material for removal of PCBs and Mercury
PCBs – Batch experiments
Mercury – Column experiments

3. Pcb: methods Batch experiments US-EPA 608 method for extraction
Aroclor 1242 solution prepared to exceed solubility limit in water
30 mg of the sorbent material added to 300 mL of aroclor solution
Stirred at 700 rpm for 1 hour
5 mL aliquots at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 min
US-EPA 608 method for extraction
Methylene chloride and KD concentration
Extracts analyzed with Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010

4. Pcb: results Majority of adsorption occurs within 5 minutes
Maximum percent removal: 90% in 10 min

5. Mercury: methods Figure 1: Brooks Rand MERX-T Equipment Diagram
Continuous flow column
Peristaltic pump
Effluent flow rate of 0.08 mL/s
Influent concentration of 3.59 ng/L of Total Mercury
Collect every 10 pore volumes
EPA Method 1631 for analysis using MERX-T
Figure 1: Brooks Rand MERX-T Equipment Diagram

6. Mercury: results Continuous Flow Column pH adjustment
Theoretical Exchange Capacity
100 grams of material for 240 grams Hg2+
Continuous Flow Column
Saturated at 70th pore volume
pH adjustment
20 mL of 0.1 M NaOH for 11 grams
Figure 2: Breakthrough Curve of Novel Material at pH 4

7. summary Novel material has implications for industrial scale use
Laboratory tests are ongoing
PCBs
Higher affinity to adsorbent material when solution reaches max solubility
Adsorption occurs rapidly
Relatviely small quantity of novel material needed to remove aroclor 1242
Mercury
pH adjustment of material increased to drinking water levels
Study on speciation of mercury at different pHs
Ways different species interact with novel material

8. REferences
Qualls, Theresa, H.J. Harris, and Victoria Harris. The Condition of the Bay of Green Bay/Lake Michigan. U of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, The State of the Bay.
“Mercury in the Environment.” USGS, Oct Web.
Draft Remedial Investigation for Lower Fox River, Wisconsin. Rep. no ThermoRetec Consulting Corporation, 1999.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Method 1631, Revision E.” Mercury in Water by Oxidation, Purge and Trap, and Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. Aug
Chojnacki, A., K. Chojnacka, J. Hoffmann, and H. Gorecki. “The Application of Natural Zeolites for Mercury Removal: From Laboratory Tests to Industrial Scale.” Elsevier (2004).