An apparatus for removing contaminants from emissions is provided with a reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed device integrated into the system. The system includes numerous component devices such as, but not limited to, an influent source, a fluidized bed device, a post filter device, and an effluent discharge. The system may also include one or more application specific pre-filter and/or post filter devices. The fluidized bed is constructed with a specific length to diameter ratio for optimum restrictive flow through a specialized filter media. The filter media is a mass of reactive material disposed within the fluidized bed which is in intimate contact with the emissions, as the emissions pass through the fluidized bed. The mass of reactive material contains an amalgam forming metal which chemically binds with the emissions that are passing through the system. Methods for removing contaminants from gaseous and non-gaseous emissions are also provided.

Methods are provided herein for separating an aromatic compound from a lube base stock by contacting a lube base stock containing an aromatic compound with an organosilica material.

Methods of modification of zero-valent iron (ZVI) to improve its performance in removing contaminants from a discharge stream. In some aspects, the methods include contacting ZVI-impregnated disks with solutions containing metal cations such as Ni.sup.2+, Cu.sup.2+, Fe.sup.2+, or Pd.sup.2+. In some aspects, a wastewater stream is treated with a metal cation solution, then passed over ZVI. Compositions for treating wastewater include ZVI that is modified with a metal cation solution.

Porous nanocomposite fibers are fabricated by electrospinning a solution including a polymer, a solvent, and a nanomaterial. The resulting fibers can be used in the form of a filter to remove a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants from an aqueous environment, and provide a macroscopic matrix to facilitate separation of the nanomaterial from the aqueous environment.

A sorbent is described, suitable for removing heavy metals, particularly mercury, from fluid streams including 20-75% by weight of copper (expressed as copper (II) oxide) in the form of one or more copper sulphides, the sorbent having a sulphur to copper atomic ratio in the range 0.7 to 0.95:1.

A method is described for preparing a sorbent including the steps of: (i) mixing together an inert particulate support material and one or more binders to form a support mixture, (ii) shaping the support mixture by granulation in a granulator to form agglomerates, (iii) coating the agglomerates with a coating mixture powder including a particulate copper sulphide and one or more binders to form a coated agglomerate, and (iv) drying the coated agglomerate to form a dried sorbent.

A method is described for preparing a sorbent comprising the steps of: (i) mixing together an inert particulate support material and one or more binders to form a support mixture, (ii) shaping the support mixture by granulation in a granulator to form agglomerates, (iii) coating the agglomerates with a coating mixture powder comprising a particulate copper sulphide and one or more binders to form a coated agglomerate, and (iv) drying the coated agglomerate to form a dried sorbent.

A process for removing heavy metals from process fluids includes passing a heavy-metal-containing process fluid, including a reductant selected from hydrogen and carbon monoxide, at an inlet temperature 125 C. over a sorbent including (i) 4-75% by weight of one or more sulphided copper compounds selected from sulphided basic copper carbonate, sulphided copper hydroxide, sulphided copper oxide or mixtures of these, (ii) optionally a support material, and (iii) a binder and the binder content of the sorbent is in the range 5-30% by weight,
wherein essentially all of the sulphided copper is in the form of CuS and the total metal sulphide content of the sorbent, other than copper sulphide, is 5% wt.

A method for producing a sulphided copper sorbent includes the steps of: (i) contacting a sorbent precursor material containing one or more sulphidable copper compounds, with a sulphiding gas stream including hydrogen sulphide to form a sulphided sulphur-containing sorbent material, and (ii) subjecting the sulphided sulphur-containing sorbent material to a heating step in which it is heated to a temperature above that used in the sulphiding step and ?110? C., under an inert gas selected from nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, methane, and mixtures thereof, the inert gas optionally including hydrogen sulphide. The method provides sulphided copper sorbents that have reduced levels of elemental sulphur.

The present invention provides an oxygen absorbing agent composition comprising a compound (A) having two or more tetralin rings, and a transition metal catalyst.