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Effect of Seeding on Metal Ion Recovery from Wastewater by Reactive Crystallization of Metal Carbonates
Author(s) -
Shimizu Y.,
Hirasawa I.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201200074
Subject(s) - crystallization , metal , sodium carbonate , wastewater , metal ions in aqueous solution , chemistry , nickel , seeding , copper , inorganic chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , sodium , waste management , organic chemistry , engineering , aerospace engineering
Reactive crystallization for separation and recovery of divalent metal ions from wastewater using a semi‐batch crystallizer has been developed. In this process, metal carbonates are produced by reacting metal sulfate solution with sodium carbonate solution. Nickel and copper ions are crystallized under particular initial pH conditions but the product shapes are not regular. Consequently, sphere seeds have been used as nucleus‐generating agents and their growth mechanism has been examined. When providing a particular amount of seeds before crystallization, metal substances piled up on the surface of the seeds, maintaining the form sphere, and the production of fines was restricted. The metal removal rate through reactive crystallization was ∼99.9 % on average. This operation proved to be suitable for application in industrial wastewater treatment and for recycling of metal materials.