Extraction and disposal of organic wastes with polymer coated porous substrate

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds, including, in particular, the BTEX group, present in wastewater and groundwater in concentrations of about 1.0 PPM to 100 PPM, may be removed by adsorption onto a polymer coated porous substrate. The substrate is preferably selected from a group consisting of mullite, diatomaceous earth and ground structural brick and fire brick. The polymer coatings may be applied by immersing the substrate in a solution of the polymer or the polymer coating may be generated on the substrate by polymerization of a substrate coated resin. Polystyrene, polypropylene glycol, polymethyl silicone, polyesters and polyurethanes may be used as the coating material. The adsorbent composition may be disposed in a packed column, as a liner for storage pits, as a barrier for surface bodies of water and groundwater flow, and may be regenerated or disposed of by deep well injection.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for removing at least a major portion of volatile organic compounds selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene from contaminated water containing from about 1.0 to about 100 PPM of at least one of the volatile organic compounds by a method consisting essentially of: a) coating an environmentally inert porous high surface area particulate material having a porosity of at least about 40%, a surface area of at least 50 square meters per gram and a particle size from about 20 mesh to up to about 1.0 inch in maximum particle size with a polymer coating of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polybutadiene, polypropylene glycol, polymethyl silicone, polyesters and polyurethane to produce an adsorbent composition   b) contacting the contaminated water with the adsorbent composition to adsorb at least a major portion of the volatile organic compounds from the contaminated water and produce an at least partially spent adsorbent composition.   
     
     
       2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein: said adsorbent composition is disposed in a column and said contaminated water is passed through said column to absorb said volatile organic compounds onto said polymer coating.   
     
     
       3. The method set forth in claim 2 including the step of: regenerating said at least partially spent adsorbent composition by passing steam through said column to strip said volatile organic compounds from said polymer coating.   
     
     
       4. The method set forth in claim 1 including the step of: regenerating said at least partially spent adsorbent composition by incinerating said at least partially spent adsorbent composition and thereafter recoating said particulate material with a polymer coating.   
     
     
       5. The method set forth in claim 1 including the step of: forming a slurry of the at least partially spent adsorbent composition, passing the slurry through a centrifugal pump to reduce the at least partially spent adsorbent composition to a particle size of about 200 microns or smaller and thereafter injecting said slurry into a subterranean earth formation.   
     
     
       6. The method set forth in claim 1 including the step of: exposing said adsorbent composition to said contaminated water by lining a pit containing said contaminated water with a layer of said adsorbent composition such that contaminated water leaking from said pit into an earth formation must pass through said layer of said adsorbent composition.   
     
     
       7. The method set forth in claim 1 including the step of: exposing said adsorben composition to contaminated water in a body of water by forming a barrier of said adsorbent composition in said body of water to require contaminated water in said body of water to flow through said adsorbent composition.