MERCURY ADSORBENT COMPOSITION, PROCESS OF MAKING SAME AND METHOD OF SEPARATING MERCURY FROM FLUIDS

摘要

A heavy metal adsorbent composition configured for use as a mercury adsorbent composition, agent or product is shown. The mercury adsorbent composition comprises a natural diatomite in the form of siliceous frustules of diatoms having a surface punctuated by a series of openings defining frustule structures having sizes in the range of about 0.75 μm to about 1,000 μm (rounded to about 1 μm to about 1,000 μm). The diatoms have the surfaces thereof treated with an activating material capable of removing mercury by chemical bonding forming surface treated diatoms which when brought into contact with a mercury containing fluid react with mercury to cause mercury to separate from the fluid by chemical bonding to the surface treated diatoms.