BTX extraction A newly launched series of blended solvents for the extraction of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) from a variety of feeds shows improved performance over single solvents, while avoiding environmentally problematic solvent components. The series, known as BTX…
Granular activated carbon (GAC) can be used to remove polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater and drinking water, but current methods to regenerate spent GAC are costly and require high temperatures of greater than 1,000°C. A team of scientists at Battelle…
Microorganisms populate nearly any habitat, no matter how hostile it is. Their great variety of survival strategies is of huge potential in biotechnology. However, most of these organisms are unknown, because they cannot be cultivated. To make better use of…
The following lists recently published books of relevance to the chemical process industries (CPI): The Other Side of Safety: Moving from Results-Based to Behavior-Based. By Robert Palmer, CRC Press, 2023, 154 pages, $71.96. A New Approach to HAZOP of Complex…
The necessity for precious metals, such as iridium, in water-splitting catalysts is a major challenge in the feasibility of large-scale production of hydrogen using electrolysis. Now, a team of researchers from Rice University (Houston; www.rice.edu) has developed a mechanism for…
Next April, a six-year, €4-million project will begin that aims to develop an electrochemical process to recover halogens (chlorine, bromine and fluorine) from waste products. Funded as part of the CZS Breakthrough program of the Carl Zeiss Foundation (CZS; Heidenheim…
A new electrowinning process is being field-trialed at the Prieska copper-zinc mine operated by Orion Minerals Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia; www.orionminerals.com.au) in South Africa, which will enable the production of valuable products, including calcium, magnesium, iron and others, from contaminated mine…
LanzaTech Inc. (Chicago, Ill.; www.lanzatech.com) has developed a genetically engineered bacterium capable of converting carbon dioxide directly to ethylene, the most widely used chemical building block globally. The company has incorporated the engineered biocatalyst into a continuous process in a…
Li extraction A new technology is going to be introduced at the Schlumberger NeoLith Energy direct lithium-extraction (DLE) project in Clayton Valley, Nev. Developed by Gradiant Ventures (Boston, Mass.; www.gradiant.com), the technology enables high levels of lithium concentration (while simultaneously…
In late October, Metso Outotec Corp. (Helsinki, Finland; www.mogroup.com) introduced the DRI (direct reduced iron) Smelting Furnace to substitute blast furnaces used in iron- and steelmaking. The furnace was developed to tolerate high-slag volumes, which are problematic for a conventional…