Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of

Kangnian Zhong

Maurice C Fuerstenau

A method for removing a selected heavy metal ion from an aqueous solution is provided herein. Said method comprises contacting the solution with collophane at a pH effective for capture of the selected heavy metal ion by the collophane. Heavy metal ions include Sb.sup.2+, As.sup.3+, Cd.sup.2+, Cr.sup.3+, Co.sup.2+, Cu.sup.2+, Fe.sup.3+, Pb.sup.2+, Mn.sup.2+, Hg.sup.2 +, UO.sub.2.sup.2+ or Zn.sup.2+, preferably Fe.sup.3+, Pb.sup.2+, and Hg.sup.2+, As.sup.3+ and UO.sub.2.sup.2+. The process is pH-sensitive and selective removal of desired heavy metal ions may be achieved by varying pH and other conditions to favor removal of the desired ions and leave other heavy metal ions whose removal is inhibited under such conditions in solution. Aqueous solutions suitable for use in this invention include leaching solutions and drainage solutions from mining operations, water supplies, slurries containing high concentrations of solids, bio-oxidation solutions from processes for gold or copper recovery, and any other solutions containing heavy metal ions whose removal is desired.

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Kangnian Zhong