Removal and Preconcentration of Surfactants from Wastewater with Open-Pore Polyurethane

Abstract

A column of in-situ polymerized open-pore polyurethane (OPP) was evaluated for removing and concentrating linear alkylate sulfonate (LAS) from synthetic wastewater. The OPP can be used to remove LAS effectively from wastewater for purification as well as a preconcentration step prior to analysis. Preliminary results of comparisons of breakthrough capacities and elution rates for LAS on OPP, active carbon, and a macroreticular resin are presented.

Open-Pore Polyurethane as a Medium for Coal Conversion Process Aqueous Effluent Cleanup

“…Similar columns, 10 cm x 0 . 4 cm I.D., were used for breakthrough and elution studies of surfactants in wastewater (12). With reasonable removal efficiencies of organics in a broad range of compound classes (e.g., primary amines, phenols, and PAHs), the logical extension of applications of the polymer is to that of aqueous wastes of coal conversion processes.…”