Composition to absorb mercury

• US 4,876,025 A
• Filed: 05/06/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemini Strategies, LLC, Gemini Master Fund Ltd. (Gemini Strategies LLC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EPS Environmental Protection Systems Limited
• Inventors: Roydhouse, Richard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garvin, Patrick P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fourson, George R.
• Application Number:
  US07/191,724
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 252/184, 252/182.32, 423/210, 55/72
• US Class Current: 252/182.32
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/64 Heavy metals or compounds thereof, e.g. mercury
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 43/00 Obtaining mercury

Abstract

A composition to absorb mercury vapour and to suppress mercury vapour. The composition comprises an iodide and a polyhydric alcohol. It may include a Lewis acid. A method of absorbing mercury comprising applying to the source of the mercury the above composition is described.

Claims

1. A composition to absorb mercury vapor and to suppress the formation of mercury vapor, the composition being free of thiosulfate and consisting essentially of:

(a) an iodide of a cation; and

(b) a polyhydric alcohol, the iodide and the polyhydric alcohol being present in amounts sufficient to suppress the formation of and absorb mercury vapor.

2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the iodide is selected from the group consisting of ammonium iodide, an alkali metal iodide, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide and cuprous iodide.

3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol and dipropylene glycol.

4. A composition as claimed in claim 1 further containing a Lewis acid.

5. A composition as claimed in claim 4 in which the Lewis acid is selected from the group consisting of ammonium chloride, ferric chloride, aluminum chloride, stannous chloride, zinc bromide and ferric sulphate.

6. A composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the iodide is formed in situ by reacting hydrogen iodide with a basic compound containing the cation.