Idaho Research Foundation, Inc.

University of Massachusetts

Kenneth E Laintz

Chien M Wai

Samuel P Sawan

W Dale Spall

L Dale Sivils

Fu-jung Kao

A method of extracting metalloid and metal species from a solid or liquid material by exposing the material to a supercritical fluid solvent containing a chelating agent is described. The chelating agent forms chelates that are soluble in the supercritical fluid to allow removal of the species from the material. In preferred embodiments, the extraction solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide and the chelating agent is a fluorinated .beta.-diketone. In especially preferred embodiments the extraction solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide, and the chelating agent comprises a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkyl phosphate, or a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkylphosphine oxide. Although a trialkyl phosphate can extract lanthanides and actinides from acidic solutions, a binary mixture comprising a fluorinated .beta.-diketone and a trialkyl phosphate or a trialkylphosphine oxide tends to enhance the extraction efficiencies for actinides and lanthanides. The method provides an environmentally benign process for removing contaminants from industrial waste without using acids or biologically harmful solvents. The method is particularly useful for extracting actinides and lanthanides from acidic solutions. The chelate and supercritical fluid can be regenerated, and the contaminant species recovered, to provide an economic, efficient process.

Fluid extraction

An enzymatic reaction system including a modified enzyme, and a dense gas system; modified enzymes; and methods of reacting modified enzymes in a dense gas system or liquid carbon dioxide.

Dense gas-compatible enzymes

Extraction of metals using supercritical fluid and chelate forming legand

Growing community of inventors

Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Kenneth E Laintz