Methods for treating an industrial byproduct, such as spent, granular, activated carbon, dredge spoils, or contaminated soils involve integrated steps to clean, concentrate, separate and/or otherwise collect hazardous and/or desired materials from such industrial byproducts. The cleaned, concentrated, separated, or collected materials may involve sufficient quantities to be useful to subsequent processors, raw materials, additives, and the like. Other treatment methods involve retaining the clean material stream at sufficient temperatures for sufficient time to separate and concentrate desired material for recovery therefrom, such as precious metals and rare earth elements.

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.

A system for removing contaminants from emissions including a reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed device featuring a method for tilting and/or agitation. 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, each of which are able to be isolated, integrated, bypassed, and/or reconfigured for application specific emissions requirements. The filter media is a mass of reactive material disposed within the fluidized bed which is in intimate contact with the emissions as they 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.

The present disclosure relates to methods for producing metal sulfide disposed on particle substrates. In at least one embodiment, a method for producing an alkali earth hydroxide particle having a metal sulfide disposed thereon includes introducing an alkali earth oxide particle with a metal sulfate to form a first composition. The method includes introducing an alkali sulfide or an alkali earth sulfide with the first composition to form a second composition. The present disclosure further relates to compositions of matter having metal sulfide disposed on a particle substrate. In at least one embodiment, a composition of matter includes an alkali earth hydroxide particle. The composition of matter includes a metal sulfide disposed on the alkali earth hydroxide particle.

The present invention is in relation to a process for preparing calcium phosphate-based sulfated adsorbents that capture mercury in gas streams, comprised of the steps of synthesis of the precursors, incorporation of a transition metal, and sulfation of the material. These adsorbents present high efficiency both for removal of low concentrations of mercury, such as in natural gas, and for stabilization of this pollutant. The adsorbents obtained in the invention may be used in the Mercury Removal Units (MRUs) present in natural gas processing plants, which mercury removal units may be located either upstream or downstream of the dehydration and H.sub.2S removal units, due to the adsorbents obtained showing resistance to H.sub.2S poisoning, and maintaining their performance in the presence of water.

Capturing mercury or arsenic heavy metal from a moist gas containing water vapour, by: a) cooling the moist gas by heat exchange with a heat transfer fluid produced in e) in order to obtain a gas cooled to a temperature Tf, vaporizing the heat transfer fluid; b) separating condensed water and condensates contained in the cooled gas obtained in a) obtaining a gas depleted in water and a liquid stream containing water; c) compressing vaporized heat transfer fluid obtained from a) obtaining compressed heat transfer fluid; d) heating water-depleted gas by heat exchange with compressed heat transfer fluid obtained in c) obtaining a cooled heat transfer fluid and a gas reheated to a temperature Tc; e) decompressing cooled heat transfer fluid obtained in d), recycling heat transfer fluid to a); f) contacting reheated gas obtained in d) with a capture mass for said heavy metal.

The disclosure relates generally to reducing mercury emissions from a coal power plant. Specifically, a method for treating a gas stream containing mercury is provided that includes injecting a mercury oxidant or absorbent and a carrying agent into a gas stream that was produced by heating or burning a carbonaceous fuel comprising mercury. The carrying agent vaporizes after being injected into the gas stream. The mercury oxidant or absorbent and a carrying agent may be injected before passing the gas stream into a gas scrubber.

A process for preparing a copper sulfide of the formula Cu.sub.xS.sub.y, wherein the process comprises the following steps: (i) reacting an aqueous solution of a copper salt with a molar excess of a sulfiding agent so as to precipitate copper sulfide from the solution; (ii) isolating the copper sulfide precipitate from the reaction mixture; and (iii) drying the copper sulfide precipitate at a temperature of less than 100° C., wherein x and y are integer or non-integer values.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to extraction of target materials using a CZTS sorbent. A method of extracting a target material from a medium includes contacting a copper zinc tin sulfur (CZTS) sorbent with the target material in the medium including the target material to form a used CZTS sorbent that includes the target material.

The process of reacting nanoscale ce-MoS.sub.2 nanosheets anchored on oxide support with lead in solution at room temperature whereby the reaction is rapid and spontaneous resulting in the formation of PbMoO.sub.4-xS.sub.x in the process of scavenging Pb.sup.2+ and Pb.sup.4+ present in the solution.