Waste Battery Acid: Use or Disposal

摘要

The U.S. Bureau of Mines evaluated the potential of using simple methodologies toconvert waste battery acid containing approx 300 to approx 2,000 ppm metal ions into recyclable products. Several recycling approaches tested, including ion adsorption, ion exchange, and solvent extraction, were no successful in producing battery-grade acid due to metallic impurities in the waste acid that were extremely difficult to remove. Waste acid samples contained metal ions that were common to those associated with brass flue dust, another waste material. The recycling potential of the waste acid was significantly improved by utilization of the waste acid, instead of virgin sulfuric acid, to extract Zn from the brass flue dust. The waste acid was also utilized to extract Cu and Cd from sludge wastes. Several neutralization shcemes designed to reduce the quantity of hazardous sludge generated were also evaluated as alternatives to the conventional lime-neutralization process.