Development of a novel adsorbent and cost-effective method to extract economically valuable rubidium from sea water DP150101377

Funding: 2015: $110,000
2016: $100,700
2017: $105,000

Project Member(s): Vigneswaran, S., Kandasamy, J.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC Discovery Projects)

Start year: 2015

Summary: Disposal of rejected brine from seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants causes major pollution problems and existing solutions are expensive. Recovery of valuable metals such as rubidium (Rb) from the brine after further concentration of the brine will lead to environmental and economic benefits. This proposal aims to develop (i) a novel electrospun nanofibre membrane distillation membrane to economically concentrate the brine and (ii) novel adsorbents and desorbents to recover the valuable Rb. The concentration and recovery of Rb from the brine will lead to a sustainable way of handling the brine as the concentration cost can be offset by the selling of Rb.

Publications:

Choi, Y, Naidu, G, Lee, S & Vigneswaran, S 2019, 'Effect of inorganic and organic compounds on the performance of fractional-submerged membrane distillation-crystallizer', Journal of Membrane Science, vol. 582, pp. 9-19.
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Choi, Y, Naidu, G, Nghiem, LD, Lee, S & Vigneswaran, S 2019, 'Membrane distillation crystallization for brine mining and zero liquid discharge: opportunities, challenges, and recent progress', Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 1202-1221.
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Choi, Y, Ryu, S, Naidu, G, Lee, S & Vigneswaran, S 2019, 'Integrated submerged membrane distillation-adsorption system for rubidium recovery', Separation and Purification Technology, vol. 218, pp. 146-155.
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Choi, Y, Naidu, G, Jeong, S, Lee, S & Vigneswaran, S 2018, 'Effect of chemical and physical factors on the crystallization of calcium sulfate in seawater reverse osmosis brine', Desalination, vol. 426, pp. 78-87.
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Choi, Y, Naidu, G, Jeong, S, Lee, S & Vigneswaran, S 2018, 'Fractional-submerged membrane distillation crystallizer (F-SMDC) for treatment of high salinity solution', Desalination, vol. 440, pp. 59-67.
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Naidu, G, Jeong, S, Choi, Y, Song, MH, Oyunchuluun, U & Vigneswaran, S 2018, 'Valuable rubidium extraction from potassium reduced seawater brine', Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 174, pp. 1079-1088.
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Naidu, G, Zhong, X & Vigneswaran, S 2018, 'Comparison of membrane distillation and freeze crystallizer as alternatives for reverse osmosis concentrate treatment', Desalination, vol. 427, pp. 10-18.
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Choi, Y, Naidu, G, Jeong, S, Vigneswaran, S, Lee, S, Wang, R & Fane, AG 2017, 'Experimental comparison of submerged membrane distillation configurations for concentrated brine treatment', Desalination, vol. 420, pp. 54-62.
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Loganathan, P, Naidu, G & Vigneswaran, S 2017, 'Mining valuable minerals from seawater: a critical review', Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 37-53.
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Nur, T, Loganathan, P, Kandasamy, J & Vigneswaran, S 2017, 'Removal of strontium from aqueous solutions and synthetic seawater using resorcinol formaldehyde polycondensate resin', Desalination, vol. 420, pp. 283-291.
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Naidu, G, Loganathan, P, Jeong, S, Johir, MAH, To, VHP, Kandasamy, J & Vigneswaran, S 2016, 'Rubidium extraction using an organic polymer encapsulated potassium copper hexacyanoferrate sorbent', CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, vol. 306, pp. 31-42.
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Naidu, G, Nur, T, Loganathan, P, Kandasamy, J & Vigneswaran, S 2016, 'Selective sorption of rubidium by potassium cobalt hexacyanoferrate', SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, vol. 163, pp. 238-246.
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Nur, T, Naidu, G, Loganathan, P, Kandasamy, J & Vigneswaran, S 2016, 'Rubidium recovery using potassium cobalt hexacyanoferrate sorbent', DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT, vol. 57, no. 55, pp. 26577-26585.
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Keywords: 1 Membrane Distillation 2 Valuable metal recovery 3 Desalination

FOR Codes: Membrane and Separation Technologies, Land and Water Management of environments not elsewhere classified, Environmental Technologies, Urban and Industrial Water Management, Separation¿¿technologies, Environmentally sustainable engineering , Terrestrial systems and management not elsewhere classified, Other environmental management not elsewhere classified

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.