The University of Southern California is studying the utilization of novel anionic clay sorbents for treating and reusing power plant effluents.  Concerns exist about heavy metals, such as arsenic (As) and selenium (Se), which can be found at low levels in power plant effluents.  Due to the high flow rates of the waste streams and the low (trace level) concentrations of metals, it is difficult to effectively clean the water.  This project is studying the feasibility of applying novel sorbents to treat, recycle, and reuse boiler blow-down streams.

Model blow-down streams are being treated in batch experiments and adsorption pH/temperature isotherms are being developed.  The impacts of As/Se interaction and the competition from background anions on adsorption rates are also being studied, and a mathematical model to describe the packed-bed behavior is being developed.

During Phase I of the project, equilibrium uptakes and kinetics were investigated in batch experiments.  The emphasis in Phase II of the project shifted to measuring kinetics and adsorption rates in flow experiments utilizing packed-bed columns.