Decontamination of Heavy Metals - Processes, Mechanisms, and Applications

Heavy metals, such as lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, copper, and nickel, are important constituents of most living organisms, as well as many nonliving substances. Some heavy metals are essential for growth of biological and microbiological lives, yet their presence in excessive quantities is harmful to humans and interferes with many environmental processes. Heavy metals are also nonbiodegradable, making them more difficult to remediate. This book tackles the subject of heavy metals in the environment, with special emphasis on their treatment, removal, recovery, disposal, management, and modeling. The book provides in-depth coverage of the major hazardous heavy metals that are found in water, land, and facilities and that have significant effects on public health and the environment. After an overview of heavy metal contamination, the text reviews the concepts and technologies of pollution prevention. It then examines technologies for metal decontamination, ranging from precipitation, which is the most commonly used, to cutting-edge technologies such as precipitation-crystallization, ion exchange, membrane filtration, and electrolysis. Mathematical models for metal removal and recovery are also included.