Magnetic Cleanup

Luis Nunez, laboratory chemist at the Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, USA, has developed a simple, compact and cost-effective method of removing fine metal particles and radionuclides from industrial waste and streams. The method employs particles that are poured into a tank containing a process or waste solution, where the coating extracts the low concentration of metal. The magnetic particles and their metal baggage, can be later removed by using powerful magnets and the metal can be recovered from the particles by a process of separation. The extractants on the magnetic particles can be tailored to meet specific requirements, for example, to remove radionuclides. Cortex Biochem Inc of California, USA, has started the production of these particles. Compared to ion exchange processes used at present, magnetic separation is 100 times more effective as it also removes fine particles.