ENGINEERED CALCIUM ALGINATE AND USES THEREOF

• US 20190329217A1
• Filed: 04/29/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Original Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Inventors: Jun, Young-Shin, Kim, Doyoon
• Application Number:
  US16/397,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20190329217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/24 Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28016 Particle form
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3208 Polymeric carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3291 Characterised by the shape of the carrier, the coating or the obtained coated product
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/281 using inorganic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/286 using natural organic sorbents or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/5218 Crystallization
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/105 Phosphorus compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/16 Nitrogen compounds, e.g. ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/203 Iron or iron compound
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/206 Manganese or manganese compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/001 Runoff or storm water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/007 Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/10 from quarries or from mining activities
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 3/00 Fertilisers based essentially on di-calcium phosphate C05B11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 1/00 Fertilisers containing potassium C05D7/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/00 Other organic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 7/00 Fertilisers from waste water, sewage sludge, sea slime, ooze or similar masses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 : Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to biodegradable materials and methods of removing using the biodegradable materials to remove phosphorus from water. Additionally, the biodegradable materials may be used as a fertilizer.

Claims

1. A method of recovering or removing a nutrient from an aqueous medium, the method comprising contacting the aqueous medium with a plurality of calcium mineral-seeded calcium alginate beads under conditions and for a time effective to adsorb the nutrient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the nutrient is selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, magnesium, nitrogen, iron, manganese, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium is selected from the group consisting of surface water, ground water, an aquifer, well water, a eutrophic lake, municipal and industrial wastewater, agricultural runoff, effluent from water or sewer treatment plants, acid mine drainage, sludge, groundwater, a reservoir, well water, a marsh, swamp, a bay, an estuary, a river, a stream, a tidal or intertidal area, a sea or an ocean.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the aqueous medium has a neutral pH.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calcium seeded calcium alginate beads are contacted with the aqueous medium for about 1 hour to about 24 hours.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calcium mineral-seeded calcium alginate beads are contacted with the aqueous medium for less than about 24 hours.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calcium mineral-seeded calcium alginate beads are disposed within a stationary treatment medium.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the stationary treatment medium comprises a permeable reactive barrier, a slurry wall, a filtration bed, or a filter.

9. A method for making calcium seeded calcium alginate beads, the method comprising:

(a) adding sodium alginate dropwise into a bath comprising CaCl₂ and NaOH and stirring to produce sodium alginate beads; and

(b) combining the sodium alginate beads with a phosphate salt to seed calcium phosphate (CaP) or a bicarbonate salt to seed calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) within the calcium alginate beads to form calcium seeded calcium alginate beads.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the concentration of the CaCl₂ in the bath is from about 50 mM to about 300 mM.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the concentration of the NaOH in the bath is from about 0 mM to about 50 mM.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the concentration of the NaOH in the bath is from about 0 mM to about 20 mM.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein step (a) is conducted at room temperature.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the phosphate salt is selected from the group consisting of disodium phosphate (Na₂HPO₄), monosodium phosphate (NaH₂PO₄), dipotassium phosphate (K₂HPO₄), or monopotassium phosphate (KH₂PO₄).

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the bicarbonate salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃), potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃), or potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃).

16. A method of delivering a nutrient to soil, the method comprising contacting the soil with calcium mineral-seeded calcium alginate beads conjugated to the nutrient under conditions and for a time effective to release the nutrient.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprises transporting the calcium mineral-seeded calcium alginate beads to the soil.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the nutrient is selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, magnesium, nitrogen, iron, manganese, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the nutrient is released over a period of time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the nutrient is released over a period of time from about 1 hour to about 72 hours.