Use of a dual polymer system for enhanced water recovery and improved separation of suspended solids and other substances from an aqueous media

Abstract

A method uses anionic and cationic polymers added in, any order or simultaneously, to aqueous media for the removal of substances. The sequential addition of the two biopolymers, anionic xanthan, followed by cationic chitosan, causes the rapid formation of very large and cohesive fibrillar aggregates that may exhibit high solids to liquid ratios and that quickly settle out from the aqueous media. The aqueous media can be easily separated from the large fibrillar aggregates by settling under gravity or by filtration through a porous containment device, such as a synthetic or non-synthetic woven or non-woven fabric including a geotextile fabric or a solid containment device containing a solid mesh screen.

1 . A method for removing a substance from an aqueous medium, comprising:
 treating a substance present in the aqueous medium to provide rare earth-containing insoluble particles in the aqueous medium;   treating the aqueous medium with an anionic polymer;   treating the aqueous medium with a cationic polymer, wherein the anionic polymer and cationic polymer form aggregates comprising the rare earth-containing insoluble particles; and   collecting the aggregates to remove the substance from the aqueous medium treated with the anionic and cationic polymers,   wherein the substance comprises one or more of the following: 2-hexanone, 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2,4-D, acetone, 2,4,5-T, albumin, algae, algaecide, aluminum, bisulfate, persulfate, an antigen, influenza virus, aromatic hydrocarbon, arsenic, arsenate, arsenite, fluoride ion, aspirin, bacteria,  E. coli, entercoccus , barium, benzene, benzene derivative, toluene, xylene, beryllium, biocides, birth control pills, bisphenol A, bitumen, body oil, boron, bromate, bromoform, bromomethane, cadmium, carbohydrate, carbon tetrachloride, chemotherapeutic agent, chloride, chlorinated benzene derivative, chlorinated hydrocarbon (PCB, etc.), chloroform, chloromethane, chromium, cis-DCE, cobalt, copper, crude oil, cyanobacterial toxin, cyanuric acid, dibromomethane, dichloroisocyanuric acid, diesel fuel, diesel range organic, diesel, DNA, drug, dye, endocrine disrupting chemical,  Enterococcus , ethylbenzene, ethylene glycol, ethylene, ferric (Fe +3 ) ion, ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH) 3 ), ferrous (Fe +2 ) ion, immunoglobulin, water-soluble glycoprotein, cuprous chloride (I), iron oxide hydroxide, pesticide, herbicide, petroleum product, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, phenol, pigments, polyacrylamide, polysaccharides, power plant flue wash down, protein, Protein A, protozoa, Prozac™, RNA, selenium, soaps, carbonate, hypochlorous acid, copper (II), solvents, stanol,  staphylococcus  bacteria, sterols, sulfates, sulfides, suntan lotion, surfactant, tar, TCE, thallium, toxic heavy metal, toxic metal, toxic nonmetal, triacylglycerol, trichloroisocyanuric acid, triclosan, unsaturated olefin, vanadium, VC, vinyl chloride, virus, volatile chlorinated organic, volatile organic compound, xylene, and zinc.   
     
     
         2 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising bonding the substance to a rare earth-containing removal medium. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rare earth-containing removal medium comprises a rare earth-containing adsorbent. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rare earth-containing removal medium comprises a rare earth metal oxide or hydrous rare earth metal oxide. 
     
     
         13 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises cerium oxide and the substance comprises the fluoride ion. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the pH of the aqueous medium to pH 6 or greater and the rare earth-containing insoluble particles comprise a rare earth metal. 
     
     
         21 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A fibrillar aggregate, comprising:
 anionic polymers;   cationic polymers; and   rare earth-containing insoluble particles, wherein the anionic polymers and cationic polymers form fibers to which the rare earth-containing insoluble particles are adhered,   wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises a rare earth and a substance comprising one or more of the following: 2-hexanone, 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2,4-D, acetone, 2,4,5-T, albumin, algae, algaecide, aluminum, bisulfate, persulfate, an antigen, influenza virus, aromatic hydrocarbon, arsenic, arsenate, arsenite, fluoride ion, aspirin, bacteria,  E. coli, entercoccus , barium, benzene, benzene derivative, toluene, xylene, beryllium, biocides, birth control pills, bisphenol A, bitumen, body oil, boron, bromate, bromoform, bromomethane, cadmium, carbohydrate, carbon tetrachloride, chemotherapeutic agent, chloride, chlorinated benzene derivative, chlorinated hydrocarbon (PCB, etc.), chloroform, chloromethane, chromium, cis-DCE, cobalt, copper, crude oil, cyanobacterial toxin, cyanuric acid, dibromomethane, dichloroisocyanuric acid, diesel fuel, diesel range organic, diesel, DNA, drug, dye, endocrine disrupting chemical,  Enterococcus , ethylbenzene, ethylene glycol, ethylene, ferric (Fe +3 ) ion, ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH) 3 ), ferrous (Fe +2 ) ion, immunoglobulin, water-soluble glycoprotein, cuprous chloride (I), iron oxide hydroxide, pesticide, herbicide, petroleum product, petroleum, pharmaceuticals phenol, pigments, polyacrylamide, polysaccharides, power plant flue wash down, protein, Protein A, protozoa, Prozac™, RNA, selenium, soaps, carbonate, hypochlorous acid, copper (II), solvents, stanol,  staphylococcus  bacteria, sterols, sulfates, sulfides, suntan lotion, surfactant, tar, TCE, thallium, toxic heavy metal, toxic metal, toxic nonmetal, triacylglycerol, trichloroisocyanuric acid, triclosan, unsaturated olefin, vanadium, VC, vinyl chloride, virus, volatile chlorinated organic, volatile organic compound, xylene, and zinc.   
     
     
         66 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle is formed from a rare earth-containing removal medium and the substance bonded to the rare earth-containing removal medium. 
     
     
         72 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing removal medium comprises a rare earth-containing adsorbent. 
     
     
         73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing removal medium comprises a rare earth metal oxide or hydrous rare earth metal oxide. 
     
     
         75 - 79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises cerium oxide and the fluoride ion. 
     
     
         81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises a rare earth metal. 
     
     
         83 - 96 . (canceled) 
     
     
         97 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises a first species and a second species bound to each other, which separately are water soluble and bound together are water insoluble, wherein one of the first and second species comprises a water soluble rare earth. 
     
     
         98 . The fibrillar aggregate of  claim 65 , wherein the rare earth-containing insoluble particle comprises a water soluble species bound to a water insoluble species, wherein one of the water soluble and water insoluble species comprises a rare earth. 
     
     
         99 - 105 . (canceled) 
     
     
         106 . A method for forming aggregates in aqueous media, comprising:
 treating a substance present in the aqueous media to provide rare earth-containing insoluble particles in the aqueous media;   treating the aqueous media with an anionic polymer; and   treating the aqueous media with a cationic polymer to form aggregates comprising the rare earth-containing insoluble particles,   wherein the substance comprises one or more of the following: 2-hexanone, 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2,4-D, acetone, 2,4,5-T, albumin, algae, algaecide, aluminum, bisulfate, persulfate, an antigen, influenza virus, aromatic hydrocarbon, arsenic, arsenate, arsenite, fluoride ion, aspirin, bacteria,  E. coli, entercoccus , barium, benzene, benzene derivative, toluene, xylene, beryllium, biocides, birth control pills, bisphenol A, bitumen, body oil, boron, bromate, bromoform, bromomethane, cadmium, carbohydrate, carbon tetrachloride, chemotherapeutic agent, chloride, chlorinated benzene derivative, chlorinated hydrocarbon (PCB, etc.), chloroform, chloromethane, chromium, cis-DCE, cobalt, copper, crude oil, cyanobacterial toxin, cyanuric acid, dibromomethane, dichloroisocyanuric acid, diesel fuel, diesel range organic, diesel, DNA, drug, dye, endocrine disrupting chemical,  Enterococcus , ethylbenzene, ethylene glycol, ethylene, ferric (Fe +3 ) ion, ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH) 3 ), ferrous (Fe +2 ) ion, immunoglobulin, water-soluble glycoprotein, cuprous chloride (I), iron oxide hydroxide, pesticide, herbicide, petroleum product, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, phenol, pigments, polyacrylamide, polysaccharides, power plant flue wash down, protein, Protein A, protozoa, Prozac™, RNA, selenium, soaps, carbonate, hypochlorous acid, copper (II), solvents, stanol,  staphylococcus  bacteria, sterols, sulfates, sulfides, suntan lotion, surfactant, tar, TCE, thallium, toxic heavy metal, toxic metal, toxic nonmetal, triacylglycerol, trichloroisocyanuric acid, triclosan, unsaturated olefin, vanadium, VC, vinyl chloride, virus, volatile chlorinated organic, volatile organic compound, xylene, and zinc.   
     
     
         107 - 108 . (canceled) 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 106 , further comprising bonding the substance to a rare earth-containing medium to provide the rare earth-containing insoluble particle. 
     
     
         110 - 121 . (canceled)