The present invention describes a PEF (pulsed electric field) chamber comprising a PEF treatment tube 2, a casing 3 and at least two electrode 5 units 4, 5, wherein said at least two electrode units 4, 5 are insertable to be fixated in the casing 3 and into the PEF treatment tube 2.

A method is described for using basalt to selectively adsorb organic toxic materials, such as dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, arsenic, mercury, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead, and the like, from substances such as sediment, which contains water and the toxic materials. Optionally, the basalt may be in the form of a liner, a cap, or a filter that surrounds, contains, or contacts sediment contaminated with the organic toxic material(s).

[Problem] To provide a method for producing useful substances, which converts organic waste containing heavy metals into harmless substances such as fertilizers and soil conditioners by carbonizing organic matter while detoxifying heavy metals.

[Solution] The present invention is a method for producing a useful material, said method comprising treating an organic waste in which heavy metals are mixed to produce a carbonized material containing weighed material. The organic waste in which the heavy metals are mixed is treated by dry carbonization of an organic waste to which a Ca component starting material and a SiO.sub.2 component starting material, which are topalmorite starting materials, are added in amounts sufficient to contain the mixed heavy metals in topalmorite crystals; a charcoal-forming step of dry carbonizing the waste, carbonizing the organic waste to form a carbide; the carbide formed in this carbide forming step and the topamolite raw material are charged into a reaction vessel while maintaining the high temperature state in the previous step, and slowly cooled in the presence of water with stirring to form the organic material; a heavy metal confinement step of forming a topamolite crystal mineral in which heavy metals mixed in the organic waste are confined, and forming a slurry in which the carbide and the topamolite crystal mineral are dispersed; and drying or dehydrating the slurry formed in the previous step to produce a useful substance containing a carbide containing the topamolite crystal mineral.

An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of feed materials. Methods of use of the apparatus in the practice of various processes are also provided by the present invention.

Basalt selectively adsorbs organic toxic materials, such as dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, arsenic, mercury, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead, and the like, from substances such as sediment, which contains water and the toxic materials.

Basalt selectively adsorbs organic toxic materials, such as dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, arsenic, mercury, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead, and the like, from substances such as sediment, which contains water and the toxic materials.

Basalt selectively adsorbs organic toxic materials, such as dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, arsenic, mercury, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead, and the like, from substances such as sediment, which contains water and the toxic materials.

Apparatus and systems are provided for processing PFAS-contaminated waste via thermomechanochemical (TMC) processing. In one example, a system may include a TMC processing chamber including a milling system and coupled to a heating system, the heating system configured to co-operate with the milling system to process the waste material. A plurality of containers including the waste material in one or more of a liquid-solid state, a semi-wet or slurry solid state, and a dry solid state are coupled to the TMC chamber.

A process for separating heavy metals from phosphoric starting material comprises the following steps: (i) heating the starting material to a temperature of 600 to 1.200 C. in a first reactor (1) and withdrawing combustion gas; (ii) using the combustion gas of step (i) to preheat an alkaline source; and (iii) transferring the heated starting material of step (i) and the heated alkaline source of step (ii) to a second reactor (20), adding an elemental carbon source, heating to a temperature of 700 to 1.100 C. and withdrawing process gas and a product stream.

Method of recovering iron and/or phosphorus from sludge of waste water treatment plants, said sludge being obtained after precipitation by iron salts, wherein said method comprises separating sludge from waste water and submitting said sludge to a lactic fermentation to release a liquid phase where iron and phosphorus are dissolved. Lactic fermentation is performed with addition of a co-substrate rich in carbon, preferably rich in carbohydrate, in one single step of biological acidification or a sequencing biological acidification in two steps by first releasing phosphorus from the PAO contained in the sludge. Iron can then be recovered by means of a cationic exchange resin. Phosphorus can be recovered as struvite or calcium phosphate from the remaining solution substantially free from iron ions, after a precipitation step in presence of a magnesium or calcium source and a pH above 7.