A method and device for the separation of pollutant metal particles or metal compounds, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment

Claim 2

1) A method of separating pollutant metal particles, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment, characterized in that it comprises: -a first step of separating heavier solid particles and suspended particles from the waste liquid (13); -a second step of bringing about the chemical deposition of pollutant particles dissolved in the liquid by inducing ion exchange with a metal less noble, hence electropositive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal to be separated from the liquid.

Claim 3

2) A method as in claim 1, wherein the first step consists in: -an initial step of causing heavier solid particles entrained in the waste liquid (13) to settle; -a further step of filtering smaller and lighter solid particles held in suspension by the liquid.

Claim 4

3) A method of separating pollutant metal particles, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment, characterized in that it comprises: a first step of causing heavier solid particles entrained in the waste liquid (13) to settle; -a second step of filtering smaller and lighter solid particles held in suspension by the liquid; -a third step of bringing about the chemical deposition of pollutant particles dissolved in the liquid by inducing ion exchange with a metal less noble, hence electropositive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal to be separated from the liquid.

Claim 5

3) A method of separating pollutant metal particles, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment, characterized in that it comprises: a first step of causing heavier solid particles entrained in the waste liquid (13) to settle; -a second step of filtering smaller and lighter solid particles held in suspension by the liquid; -a third step of bringing about the chemical deposition of pollutant particles dissolved in the liquid by inducing ion exchange with a metal less noble, hence electropositive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal to be separated from the liquid.

Claim 6

4) A method as in claim 1, wherein the chemical deposition step is implemented simultaneously with the filtration step.

Claim 7

5) A method as in claim 3, wherein the chemical deposition step is implemented simultaneously with the filtration step.

Claim 8

6) A method as in claim 1 or 3, comprising the further step of adding substances to the waste liquid such as will enhance or accelerate chemical deposition.

Claim 9

7) A method as in claim 1 or 3, comprising the further step of adding disinfectant substances to the waste liquid.

Claim 10

8) A method as in claim 1 or 3, comprising the further step of adding substances to the waste liquid such as will enhance or accelerate chemical deposition and disinfect the liquid.

Claim 11

9) A device for implementation of the method as in claim 1 or 3, comprising: -a water-tight trap device (1) incorporating at least one means of separating solid pollutant metal particles or metal compounds; -at least one electrode medium (5) by means of which to induce ion exchange, consisting in a metal less noble, i.e. electropositive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal to be separated from the waste liquid (13).

Claim 12

10) A device for separating pollutant metal particles or metal compounds, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment, characterized in that it comprises, in sequence along the flow path of the liquid: -a trap device (1) with inlet (2) and outlet (3) uppermost, internally of which the stream of liquid is vortiginous at first, thereafter becoming less turbulent and rising laminar toward the outlet (3) in such a way that heavier and larger entrained solid particles settle at the bottom of the trap; -a device (4) for the filtration of smaller and lighter solid particles held in suspension by the stream of liquid (13); -an electrode medium (5) serving to bring about reduction of pollutant metal dissolved in the liquid (13), which consists in an element (6) fashioned from a metal less noble, i.e. electro­positive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal, and capable of forming insoluble compounds with the pollutant metal.

Claim 13

10) A device for separating pollutant metal particles or metal compounds, e.g. amalgam, in waste liquids discharged from dental surgery equipment, characterized in that it comprises, in sequence along the flow path of the liquid: -a trap device (1) with inlet (2) and outlet (3) uppermost, internally of which the stream of liquid is vortiginous at first, thereafter becoming less turbulent and rising laminar toward the outlet (3) in such a way that heavier and larger entrained solid particles settle at the bottom of the trap; -a device (4) for the filtration of smaller and lighter solid particles held in suspension by the stream of liquid (13); -an electrode medium (5) serving to bring about reduction of pollutant metal dissolved in the liquid (13), which consists in an element (6) fashioned from a metal less noble, i.e. electro­positive to a greater degree, than the pollutant metal, and capable of forming insoluble compounds with the pollutant metal.

Claim 14

11) A device as in claim 9 or 10, further comprising means by which to effect a continuous dissolution in the waste liquid (13) of substances serving to enhance or accelerate the chemical deposition step.

Claim 15

12 A device as in claim 9 or 10, further comprising means by which to effect a continuous dissolution of disinfectant substances in the waste liquid (13).

Claim 16

13) A device as in claim 10, wherein the trap (1) consists in a bowl (7) capped uppermost by a cover (8) incorporating the inlet (2) and the outlet (3) such that the internal port boss of the outlet projects toward the bottom (11) of the bowl (7), further comprising: -a funnel (9), positioned internally of the bowl and disposed with axis vertical, the top end of which is fitted removably over the port boss of the outlet (3); -a filter element (10), attached removably to the remaining end of the funnel (9) and constituting the filtration device (4).

Claim 17

14) A device as in claim 13, wherein the funnel (9) is in the shape of a hollow cone frustum of which the smaller base is fitted over the outlet (3), and the larger base affords a peripheral internal seat for accommodation of the filtration device (4).

Claim 18

15) A device as in claim 5 or 6, wherein the electrode medium (5) is positioned inside the trap (1), internally of the bowl (7).

Claim 19

16) A device as in claim 13, wherein the electrode medium (5) is positioned internally of the funnel (9) carrying the filtration device (4), located between the filter element (10) and the outlet (3) in the top cover (8).

Claim 20

17) A device as in claim 9 or 10, wherein the electrode medium (5) is embodied with a cellular structure.

Claim 21

18) A device as in claim 13, wherein the electrode medium (5) is embodied with a cellular structure and associated removably with the funnel (9).

Claim 22

19) A device as in claim 17 or 18, wherein the cellular structure affords filtration means in addition to or in the absence of the filtration device (4).

Claim 23

20) A device as in claim 19, wherein the filtration means are associated removably with the outlet (3) in the top cover (8).

Claim 24

21) A device as in claim 18, wherein the electrode medium (5) is cylindrical in shape and associated removably with the outlet (3) in the top cover (8) in such a way as to constitute an inward extension of the outlet.

Claim 25

22) A device as in claim 11, wherein means by which to effect a continuous dissolution in the waste liquid (13) of substances serving to enhance or accelerate the chemical deposition step consist in a tablet formulated from chemicals designed to ensure slow, gradual and continuous dissolution of electrolysis-­enhancing-or-accelerating substances in the waste liquid.

Claim 26

23) A device as in claim 12, wherein means by which to effect a continuous dissolution of disinfectant substances in the waste liquid (13) consist in a tablet formulated from chemicals designed to ensure a slow, gradual and continual dissolution of disinfectant substances in the waste liquid.

Claim 27

24) A device as in claim 22 or 23, wherein the tablet is formulated from chemicals designed to ensure a slow, gradual and continuous dissolution in the waste liquid both of disinfectant substances and of electrolysis-enhancing or-accelerating substances.

Claim 28

25) A device as in claim 9 or 10 and claim 22, wherein the electrode medium (5) is associated physically with the tablet.

Claim 29

26) A device as in claim 13, wherein the bowl (7) and the funnel (9) are embodied in transparent material in order to enable a visual inspection of the extent to which pollutant metal particles and metal compounds entrained and dissolved in the waste liquid (13) have settled and been filtered, and reduced and deposited on the electrode medium (5).