AN INDUSTRIAL WASTE-WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION STUDY - EVALUATION OF PRECIPITATION AND SEPARATION PROCESSES

A water pollution prevention study was performed for two plating proce sses at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). This study inclu ded wastewater precipitation process analysis, and evaluation of separ ation and recycling alternatives. One of the pollution prevention oppo rtunity assessment goals is to reduce and reuse wastewater. From a rev iew of coordination chemistry and a series of precipitation process te sts, it was found that treatment with optimized pH and mixing rate, pr oper coprecipitants (such as iron salts), and chemical dosages were ne eded to dissociate metal ions from the complexes in the wastewater. In this study, reverse osmosis and ion exchange technologies were also e valuated. A water reclamation analysis with these two technologies was implemented. The analysis projected, that with recycling systems, 33% of the wastewater could be reclaimed.