title: Green recovery of mercury from domestic and industrial waste.
abstract: Recovery of mercury from effluents is fundamental for environmental preservation. A new, green method was developed for separation of mercury from effluent containing different metals. The extraction/separation of Hg(II) was studied using aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) comprising by polyethylene oxide (PEO1500) or triblock copolymers (L64 or L35), electrolyte (sodium citrate or sodium sulfate) and water in the presence or absence of chloride ions. The extraction behavior of the Hg(II) for the macromolecule-rich phase is affected by the following parameters: amount of added extractant, pH, and the nature of the electrolyte and macromolecule of the ATPS. The APTS of PEO1500+sodium citrate+H2O (pH 1.00 and 0.225 mol kg(-1) KCl) produced the highest Hg(II) %E=(92.3 ± 5.2)%. Under the same conditions, excellent separation factors (1.54×10(2)-3.21×10(10)) for recovery of mercury in the presence of co-existing metals were obtained. Efficient and selective extraction of Hg(II) from domestic and industrial synthetic effluents was achieved using this ATPS.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Química Verde Coloidal e Macromolecular, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roselaine C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Química Verde Coloidal e Macromolecular, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pamela R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Patrício
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Química Verde Coloidal e Macromolecular, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia J Rodriguez
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Química Verde Coloidal e Macromolecular, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Henrique Mendes
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Química Verde Coloidal e Macromolecular, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil. Electronic address: mariacarmo@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Maria C Hespanhol
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: da Silva
keywords: Aqueous two-phase system; Green chemistry; Liquid–liquid extraction; Mercury; Waste