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US4806264A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of selectively removing selenium ions from an aqueous solution

Assignee: United States Department of the Interior
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Filing: 1987-09-01
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Granted: 1989-02-21
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Expires: 2007-09-01
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Abstract

Abstract A method of selectively removing selenium ions from an aequeous solution containing selenium ions comprises contacting the solution with an amount of ferrous ion effective to reduce the selenium ions to elemental selenium. The contacting is preferably conducted at a pH of about 9 and the ferrous ions are preferably provided in situ in the form of ferrous hydroxide. The method may further comprise removing ferric oxides to which the ferrous ions are oxidized, these ferric oxides containing the elemental selenium produced by the reduction of the selenium ions, and separating the ferric oxides from the elemental selenium by adding a strong acid thereto.

Inventors

  • 👤 Andrew P. Murphy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 21:34
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/70; C01; C01B; C01B19/00; C01B19/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/902

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 54 words
A method of selectively removing selenium ions from an aqueous solution, wherein said selenium ions are selected from the group consisting of selenite ions and selenate ions comprising contacting said solution at a pH of about 8 to 10 with an amount of ferrous ions effective to reduce said selenium ions to elemental selenium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 54 words
A method of selectively removing selenium ions from an aqueous solution, wherein said selenium ions are selected from the group consisting of selenite ions and selenate ions comprising contacting said solution at a pH of about 8 to 10 with an amount of ferrous ions effective to reduce said selenium ions to elemental selenium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said ferrous ions are provided in the form of ferrous hydroxide and said ferrous ions are oxidized to magnetic ferric oxides after the contacting step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said magnetic ferric oxides contain said elemental selenium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising magnetically removing said ferric oxides containing said elemental selenium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising separating said ferric oxides from said elemental selenium by adding a strong acid thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said ferrous hydroxide is generated in situ.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said ferrous hydroxide is generated by providing a ferrous salt and an alkali metal hydroxide to said solution.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said ferrous hydroxide is generated by adding carbonyl iron to the aqueous solution at a pH of about 8 to 10.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the aqueous solution is ground water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the pH is about 9.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said ferrous ions and said selenium ions are contacted in a proportion of at least about nine molar equivalent of ferrous ions per molar equivalent of selenium ions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said ferrous ions are present in a molar equivalent amount in excess of the molar equivalent amount of the selenium ions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said contacting step is conducted at a temperature of about 10 to 35 degrees C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said temperature is about 17 to 30 degrees C.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3084994A Cited
US3933635A Cited
US4026797A Cited
US4405464A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-02-21 1992-08-22 1993-02-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-02-21 1996-08-22 1997-02-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-02-21 2000-08-22 2001-02-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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