초록 ▼

A test for determining the presence of multi-valent metal contaminants, such as arsenic, mercury and chromium, when present in certain valence states and a system for removal of these contaminants from water. Multi-valent metal salts, for example, Cr +6 , which are highly toxic, can be detected and

A test for determining the presence of multi-valent metal contaminants, such as arsenic, mercury and chromium, when present in certain valence states and a system for removal of these contaminants from water. Multi-valent metal salts, for example, Cr +6 , which are highly toxic, can be detected and potentially removed from water through a redox reaction by reaction with iron or cobalt salts to obtain a reductive elimination of the Cr +6 by conversion to Cr +3 . The determination may be in the form of a test, such that a tableted composition can be introduced into water for reduction of a metal salt, such as Cr +6 to Cr +3 in order to provide a visual indication thereof. The system for the conversion of Cr +6 or other reducible metal salts to other lower valence states having less toxicity would rely upon introduction of a metal salt in the form of a reducing agent which would be introduced into the water allowing for a reduction/oxidation action to take place. This would be followed by removal of the flocculated/precipitated reduced contaminant metal salt and by re-reduction of the oxidized reducing agent.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of making a determination for a presence of a harmful water-soluble multi-valent, and ionically reducible metal contaminant in water, said method comprising:a) introducing into a sample of the water to be tested a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal or metal anion

1. A method of making a determination for a presence of a harmful water-soluble multi-valent, and ionically reducible metal contaminant in water, said method comprising:a) introducing into a sample of the water to be tested a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal or metal anion reducing agent which will reduce the metal contaminant to a lower valence state with the reducing agent becoming oxidized to a higher valence state, and where the metal or metal anion reducing agent is responsible for substantially all of the metal contaminate reduction;b) maintaining said water containing composition at a pH substantially below 7.0;c) allowing for a physically observable change in said water to provide readily visual indication of the presence of the potentially harmful metal contaminant based on said change. 2. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a contaminant which comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium and mercury and salts thereof. 3. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a free metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of iron and iron salts and cobalt and cobalt salts. 4. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of cerium, cobalt, europium, iron, manganese, nickel, platinum, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium, samarium, terbium, tin, titanium, and ytterbium. 5. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said composition comprises a member selected from the class consisting of sequestering agents, flocculating agents and precipitating agents. 6. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 5 further characterized in that said composition also comprises a dispersing agent. 7. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 6 further characterized in that said composition is present in the form of a water-soluble tablet capable of being introduced into a sample of water to be tested. 8. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said change is a visual change in the water. 9. The method for determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 1 further characterized in that said change is a presence of suspended solid matter in the water. 10. A method for testing for the presence of a potentially harmful water soluble multi-valent and ionically reducible metal containing contaminant capable of being reduced, said method comprising:a) introducing into a sample of the water to be tested a composition to render a water containing medium and which composition is a water soluble, multi-valent metal or metal anion reducing agent and will reduce the metal contaminant to a lower or reduced valence and with the reducing agent being oxidized in a higher valence state and concomitantly provide a visually apparent change in the water containing medium based on a potential presence of the metal contaminant in the water; andb) establishing an acid pH in the water containing medium and avoiding the formation of any suspension in the water containing medium which would obscure the visually apparent change which may take place. 11. The method of testing for the presence of a potentially harmful metal constituent in water of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises also introducing into the sample of water to be tested a member selected from the class consisting of sequestering agents and flocculating agents. 12. The method of testing for the presence of a potentially harmful metal constituent in water of claim 10 fu rther characterized in that said method comprises introducing into the sample of water to be tested a sequestering agent to enable efficient interaction of the constituents in the water and complete reduction of the metal contaminant. 13. The method of testing for the presence of a potentially harmful metal constituent in water of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises detecting for the presence of any one of arsenic, chromium and mercury or salts thereof. 14. The method of testing for the presence of a potentially harmful metal constituent in water of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises adding to said sample of water a metal anion reducing agent selected from the class consisting of iron and cobalt. 15. The method of testing for the presence of a potentially harmful metal constituent in water of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises introducing into the sample of water a metal anion reducing agent selected from the class consisting of cerium, cobalt, europium, iron, manganese, nickel, platinum, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium, samarium, terbium, tin, titanium, and ytterbium. 16. A method for eliminating from a body of water a potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble metal contaminant capable of being reduced to a lower valence state, said method comprising:a) introducing into said body of water a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal-containing reducing agent capable of reducing the metal contaminant to a lower valence state;b) maintaining the pH of the body of water with a reducing agent therein in a first pH range to facilitate reduction of the metal contaminant;c) also introducing into said body of water a flocculating and precipitating ingredient which enables consolidation of the reduced metal contaminant in the body of water;d) maintaining the pH of the body of water after introduction of the flocculating and precipitating agent at a second pH range to facilitate precipitation of the reduced metal contaminant; ande) removing the reduced metal contaminant from the body of water. 17. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 16 further characterized in that said method causes precipitation of reduced contaminants in the water at an acid pH, and the method comprises reducing the pH of the second pH range which is alkaline to aid in removal of the reduced constituents from the body of water. 18. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 16 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a contaminant which comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium and mercury or salts thereof. 19. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 16 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of cerium, cobalt, europium, iron, manganese, nickel, platinum, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium, samarium, terbium, tin, titanium, and ytterbium. 20. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 17 further characterized in that said method comprises adding to the body of water a sequestering agent. 21. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent, water-soluble contaminant of claim 20 further characterized in that said method also comprises adding a dispersant to the body of water. 22. A method for detecting for the presence of a potentially harmful water soluble multi-valent metal contaminant in water by observing the presence of a prominent visual change in the water if the harmful metal contaminant is present in the water, said method comprising:a) introducing into a sample of the water a tableted composition having a water soluble multi-valent and ionically reducible metal or metal-anion reductant capable of reducing the metal contaminant to a reduced state;b) generating a visually apparent physical change in the water if the contaminant is present; andc) introducing a stabilizing agent into the water. 23. The method of claim 22 further characterized in that said method comprises introducing in said tableted composition a dispersing agent and thereby obtaining rapid mixing and dispersal of the reducing agent throughout the sample of water to be tested. 24. The method of claim 22 further characterized in that said method comprises introducing said reducing agent in the form of a metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of ferrous and cobalt metals and metal salts. 25. The method of claim 23 further characterized in that said method comprises introducing said dispersing agent in the form of sodium bicarbonate. 26. The method of claim 22 further characterized in that said method comprises forming a suspension of solid matter in the water and the visual determination is achieved by observation of a suspension of solid matter in water. 27. The method of claim 22 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a contaminant which comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium and mercury or salts thereof. 28. A method for eliminating from a body of water a potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble metal contaminant capable of being reduced to a lower valence state, said method comprising:a) introducing into said body of water a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal-containing reducing agent capable of reducing the metal contaminant to a lower valence state and oxidizing the reducing agent;b) also introducing into said body of water a flocculating and precipitating ingredient which enables consolidation of the reduced metal contaminant in the body of water;c) removing the reduced metal contaminant from the body of water; andd) recycling the reducing agent by reducing the reducing agent from the oxidized state back to its reduced state to thereby regenerate the capacity of the reducing agent to further reduce a metal contaminant. 29. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 28 further characterized in that said method causes precipitation of reduced contaminants in the water and permits removal of the reduced constituents from the body of water. 30. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 28 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a contaminant which comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium and mercury or salts thereof. 31. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 28 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of cerium, cobalt, europium, iron, manganese, nickel, platinum, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium, samarium, terbium, tin, titanium, and ytterbium. 32. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble contaminant of claim 28 further characterized in that said composition comprises a member selected from the class consisting of sequestering agents and flocculating and precipitating agents. 33. The method for eliminating from a body of water the potentially harmful multi-valent, water-soluble contaminant of claim 28 further characterized in that said composition also comprises a dispersant. 34. A method for eliminating from water multi-valent, water-soluble metal contaminants which are reducible in the presence of a selected reducing agent, said method comprising:a) providing a treatment chamber for a body of water to be treated for elimination of said harmful metal constitu ent;b) introducing into said treatment chamber a water-soluble, multi-valent metal reducing agent able to react with the metal contaminant;c) effectively reducing the metal contaminant to a reduced valence state and simultaneously oxidize the reducing agent to a higher oxidized valence state;d) introducing into the body of water an ingredient which permits separation of solid constituents formed through by the reaction of the metal contaminant with the reducing agent; ande) discharging and removing any separated solid constituents from the body of water. 35. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a contaminant which comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, chromium and mercury or salts thereof. 36. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said method comprises a window enabling viewing an indication of the presence of the metal contaminant by observing a visual change in a reaction medium therein. 37. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a finely divided free metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of iron and iron salts and cobalt and cobalt salts. 38. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said reducing agent is a metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of cerium, cobalt, europium, iron, manganese, nickel, platinum, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium, samarium, terbium, tin, titanium, and ytterbium. 39. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said ingredient comprises a member selected from the class consisting of sequestering agents, precipitating agents and flocculating agents. 40. The method for eliminating multi-valent metal contaminants from water of claim 34 further characterized in that said metal contaminant is a metal selected from the class consisting of arsenic, chromium, mercury or salts thereof, and that said reducing agent is a finely divided free metal or metal salt selected from the class consisting of iron and iron salts and cobalt and cobalt salts. 41. A method of making a determination for a presence of a harmful water-soluble multi-valent, and ionically reducible metal contaminant in water, said method comprising:a) introducing into a sample of the water to be tested a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal-containing reducing agent which will reduce the metal contaminant to a lower valence state;b) also introducing into said sample of water a dispersing agent and a member selected from the class consisting of sequestering agents, flocculating agents and precipitating agents; andc) allowing for a change in said water to provide indication of the presence of the potentially harmful metal contaminant based on said change. 42. The method determining a presence of a metal contaminant in water of claim 41 further characterized in that said composition is present in the form of a water-soluble tablet capable of being introduced into a sample of water to be tested. 43. A method for eliminating from a body of water a potentially harmful multi-valent water-soluble metal contaminant capable of being reduced to a lower valence state, said method comprising:a) introducing into said body of water a composition comprising a water-soluble, multi-valent, metal-containing reducing agent capable of reducing the metal contaminant to a lower valence state;b) also introducing into the body of water a dispersing agent to obtain dispersal of the reducing agent in the body of water; andc) also introducing into said body of water a flocculating and precipitating ingredient which enables consolidation of the reduced metal contaminant in the body of water; andd) removing the reduced metal contaminant from the body of water.