A scale inhibitor composition for reducing calcium scale under stressed conditions is disclosed. The composition comprises an aqueous polymerization reaction product of an acrylic acid and a chain transfer agent, the reaction product comprising a low-molecular weight acrylic acid polymer having a weight averaged molecular weight (Mw) of from about 1,300 to about 15,000 Daltons. A method of preparing the scale inhibitor composition is also disclosed, and comprises reacting the acrylic acid and the chain transfer agent to give the reaction product comprising the acrylic acid polymer. A process for ameliorating calcite scale in a mining operation is further disclosed. The process comprises adding the scale inhibitor composition to process water comprising at least one stressed scaling condition.

A method for treatment of mixed electroplating wastewater without a cyanide and a phosphorus-containing reductant without a cyanide and a phosphorus-containing reductant. A ferrous chloride solution is added into electroplating wastewater without a cyanide and a phosphorus-containing reductant. The pH of wastewater is adjusted to 10.5-12. Pollutants such as sodium cyanide and hydroxyl-containing organic amine complexants are oxidized with sodium hypochlorite. Carboxyl-containing organic acid complexants are precipitated. Hexavalent chromium is reduced to trivalent chromium to form chromium hydroxide precipitate. Precipitate is removed by filtering and wastewater is adjusted to pH 4.5-5.5. Heavy metal ions are precipitated with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate or sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. Precipitate and heavy metal capturing agents are adsorbed with activated carbon followed by removal of precipitate. Wastewater is adjusted to pH 6-8. Aliphatic polyamine complexants are destroyed using an available biological degradation technique to reduce chemical oxygen demand.

A hybrid activated iron-biological treatment system and method for treating wastewater. The treatment system includes a combination of zero valent iron, ferrous iron, an iron oxide, and a denitrification microorganism.

Fusion proteins containing a targeting sequence, an exosporium protein, or an exosporium protein fragment that targets the fusion protein to the exosporium of a Bacillus cereus family member are provided. Recombinant Bacillus cereus family members expressing such fusion proteins are also provided. Genetically inactivated Bacillus cereus family members and recombinant Bacillus cereus family members that overexpress exosporium proteins are also provided. Seeds coated with the recombinant Bacillus cereus family members and methods for using the recombinant Bacillus cereus family members (e.g., for stimulating plant growth) are also provided. Various modifications of the recombinant Bacillus cereus family members that express the fusion proteins are further provided. Fusion proteins comprising a spore coat protein and a protein or peptide of interest, recombinant bacteria that express such fusion proteins, seeds coated with such recombinant bacteria, and methods for using such recombinant bacteria (e.g., for stimulating plant growth) are also provided.

A metal surface treatment liquid recycling system includes a treatment liquid collecting tank, a pre-treatment device, a nanofiltration device and a vacuum distillation device, all of which are connected sequentially. The nanofiltration device includes a feed tank, a first-stage nanofiltration membrane unit, and a second-stage nanofiltration membrane unit. Treatment wastewater in the treatment liquid collecting tank is fed into the pre-treatment device to filter out suspended solids and then enter the feed tank. The wastewater in the feed tank is filtered by the first-stage nanofiltration membrane unit and transformed to a first-stage concentrated waste liquid and first-stage infiltration fluids. The first-stage infiltration fluids are fed into and re-filtered by the second-stage nanofiltration membrane unit and transformed to a second-stage concentrated waste liquid and second-stage infiltration fluids. The second-stage infiltration fluids are evaporated and concentrated by the vacuum distillation device for generation of distilled water and high-concentration acid concentrated fluids.

Provided herein are processes for the removal and/or recovery of a target metal from a liquid sample, said process comprising: [1] applying acoustic cavitation to the liquid; and [2] adding an iron (II) salt, or a precursor form thereof, to the liquid sample and allowing Fenton oxidation reaction to occur between the iron and hydrogen peroxide in the liquid, thereby producing hydroxyl radicals; thereby producing a target metal salt or metal oxide having a reduced solubility in the liquid sample, leading to removal of the target metal from the liquid sample. The use of metal ligands in such processes is also described, as well as systems for performing such processes. Methods, processes, and systems for removing organic contaminants from a liquid sample are also described.

Devices and associated methods described herein in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can, for example, treat acidity and remove suspended solids and heavy metals from acid mine and acid rock drainage, as well as from other acidic and various aqueous fluids of various pH. The disclosed system includes a cavitation/electro-coagulation reaction chamber, solids separation, and other optional components including a passive media contact reaction chamber, and/or an oxidation/reduction electrode assembly to facilitate or expand upon parameters requiring treatment. The disclosed system can be packaged in small housing units suitable for insertion within mine tunnels or adits, but may also be expanded for large scale applications.

A method for treating a waste stream from a copper CMP process including dissolved copper and abrasive particles having a number weighted mean size of less than 0.75 μm includes introducing the waste stream into a feed tank, flowing the waste stream from the feed tank into an ultrafiltration module, filtering the waste stream through a membrane of the ultrafiltration module to form a solids-lean filtrate, directing the solids-lean filtrate from the ultrafiltration module through an ion exchange unit to remove dissolved copper and produce a treated aqueous solution having a lower copper concentration than the copper concentration of the waste stream, backwashing the membrane ultrafiltration module to remove the slurry solids from the membrane of the ultrafiltration module, and combining the removed slurry solids with the treated aqueous solution to form a combined discharge stream having a copper concentration suitable for discharge into the environment.

A method and system for treating cyanide-containing fluids, in particular cyanide-containing waste water, wherein cyanide-containing fluid is subject to a pretreatment in a pretreatment zone, in which at least one predetermined pH value and a predetermined temperature is set, wherein a base fluid is formed with the pretreatment. Base fluid is reacted at least with an oxidation means in at least one reaction reactor, whereby an oxidation reaction of the cyanide is initiated. Fluid from the reaction reactor is transferred as intermediate fluid into at least one process reactor, in which conditions exist in which the oxidation reaction of the cyanide initiated in the reaction reactor can take place, wherein a process fluid is formed. A continuous flow of fluid is maintained at least periodically, wherein the base fluid is transferred continuously from the pretreatment zone into the reaction reactor, intermediate fluid is transferred continuously from the reaction reactor into the process reactor, and process fluid is removed continuously from the process reactor.

The invention relates to a composite textile consisting of natural and/or synthetic and/or artificial fibres and lignocellulosic particles entangled between said fibres, comprising more than 30 wt. % of said lignocellulosic particles. The invention also relates to the method for the production thereof and to the uses of same.