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The efficient removal of thallium from sintering flue gas desulfurization wastewater in ferrous metallurgy using emulsion liquid membrane

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Abstract

The removal of thallium ions in flue gas desulfurization wastewater from ferrous metallurgic industry was studied by emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) method using 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) as carrier, aviation kerosene (AK) as organic solvent, polyisobutylene succinimide (T154) as surfactant, polyisobutylene (PIB) as additive, and sulfuric acid as internal reagent. Some important influence parameters such as concentrations of carrier, surfactant and stripping agent, agitation speed, extraction time, volume ratios of feed solution to emulsion phase and internal phase to membrane phase, and their effects on the removal efficiency of Tl in the ELM process were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum operating conditions of 2% of carrier, 5% of surfactant, 0.5 M of stripping agent, 350 rpm of agitation speed, 12.5:1 of volume ratio of feed solution to emulsion phase, and 3:1 volume ratio of membrane to internal phase, the maximum extraction efficiency of thallium reached 99.76% within 15-min reaction time. The ICP-MS analysis indicated that the thallium concentration in treated wastewater was below 5 μg/L and could meet the emission standard demand for industrial wastewater enacted by the local government of Hunan province of China. Meanwhile, the extraction of impurity ions calcium and magnesium in the ELM system was investigated. The result showed that an acidic environment would be in favor of the removal of Tl from calcium and magnesium contained in wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of China on the Water Pollution Control and Treatment (No. 2010ZX07212-008), the Project of Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 14JJ5027), and the industrial partner of Hunan Valin Energy-Saving & Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan City, 411105, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Li Yang, Wensong Li, Weiyan Wang & Yunquan Yang

  2. Hunan Valin Energy-Saving & Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Zhucheng City, Shandong Province, China

    Jiangping Xiao, Yi Shen & Xian Liu

Authors
  1. Li Yang
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  2. Jiangping Xiao
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  3. Yi Shen
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  4. Xian Liu
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  5. Wensong Li
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  6. Weiyan Wang
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  7. Yunquan Yang
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Correspondence to Yunquan Yang.

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Responsible editor: Bingcai Pan

Highlights

• Industrial desulfurization effluent contained thallium was removed by an ELM system.

• Influences of different variables on thallium removal were investigated.

• The efficient treatment conditions of low concentration thallium in the ELM were optimized.

• The maximum removal efficiency of Tl can be reached nearly to 100%.

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Yang, L., Xiao, J., Shen, Y. et al. The efficient removal of thallium from sintering flue gas desulfurization wastewater in ferrous metallurgy using emulsion liquid membrane. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 24214–24222 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0040-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0040-0

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