Acid Digestion Process

In one acid digestion process, monazite sand is heated with 93% sulfuric acid at 210°C. The solution is diluted with water and filtered. Filtrate containing thorium and rare earths is treated with ammonia and pH is adjusted to 1.0. Thorium is precipitated as sulfate and phosphate along with a small fraction of rare earths. The precipitate is washed and dissolved in nitric acid. The solution is treated with sodium oxalate. Thorium and rare earths are precipitated from this nitric acid solution as oxalates. The oxalates are filtered, washed, and calcined to form oxides. The oxides are redissolved in nitric acid and the acid solution is extracted with aqueous tributyl phosphate. Thorium and cerium (IV) separate into the organic phase from which cerium (IV) is reduced to metalhc cerium and removed by filtration. Thorium then is recovered from solution. 

FIGURE 34.16 Visual comparison of recovered alum coagulant from the AWTP residuals by acid digestion process (a) and DMP (b). 

Figure 34.18 shows the percentage relative carryover i.e., tjr values of DOC, Cu(II), Zn(II), and Mg(II). It is noted that Pr values are nearly zero for DOC and significantly less than aluminum for all divalent cations. For conventional acid digestion process, no selective separation is achieved i.e., percentage t/r values of all the contaminants are essentially the same as that of Al(III). 

Energetic Materials and Chemical Warfare Fills Treatable by the Acid Digestion Process, 69... 

TECHNOLOGIES FOR MUNITIONS PROCESSING Acid Digestion Process... 

Initial development of the acid digestion process (ADP) was carried out by the Societe Nationale des Poudres et Explosifs (SNPE) Propulsion in France (Gaudre et al., 2001).1 The development effort was continued by Battelle, and the Shaw Group is now apparently involved (Soilleux, 2005). The discussion of the ADP in this section is in part... 

Acetamide has been used experimentally as a source of nonprotein nitrogen for sheep and dairy cattie (13). It does not appear to be toxic in amounts of about 2—3% of ration. Buffering the diet with dibasic acids serves to allow higher levels of intake because the ammonia Hberated in the digestive process is then scavenged. 

Mona.Zlte, The commercial digestion process for m on a site uses caustic soda. The phosphate content of the ore is recovered as marketable trisodium phosphate and the rare earths as RE hydroxide (10). The usual industrial practice is to attack finely ground m on a site using a 50% sodium hydroxide solution at 150°C or a 70% sodium hydroxide solution at 180°C. The resultant mixed rare-earth and thorium hydroxide cake is dissolved in hydrochloric or nitric acid, then processed to remove thorium and other nonrare-earth elements, and processed to recover the individual rare earths (see... 

Opa.nte. There are two methods used at various plants in Russia for loparite concentrate processing (12). The chlorination technique is carried out using gaseous chlorine at 800°C in the presence of carbon. The volatile chlorides are then separated from the calcium—sodium—rare-earth fused chloride, and the resultant cake dissolved in water. Alternatively, sulfuric acid digestion may be carried out using 85% sulfuric acid at 150—200°C in the presence of ammonium sulfate. The ensuing product is leached with water, while the double sulfates of the rare earths remain in the residue. The titanium, tantalum, and niobium sulfates transfer into the solution. The residue is converted to rare-earth carbonate, and then dissolved into nitric acid. 

Acids and alkaUes were used to decompose the fiber to cellulose. The alkaU digester process, developed in 1899, is stiU used. Fiber glass reinforcement must be removed mechanically before the mbber can be reclaimed. A highly efficient method involves hammer mills and reel beaters to separate the fiber from the mbber an air current subsequentiy drives off the fiber. 

Volatile acids, reported as acetic acid, are the most important operational parameter. In a weU-operating digestion process, the value should be <1 g/L (3.8 g/gal). A value >6 g/L (23 g/gal) indicates malfunctioning optimum pH is 6.8—7.2, and a pH <6.8 indicates excessive volatile acid production. Formerly, lime was added to the digester contents if the pH showed an undesirable drop. However, the reduction in pH indicated a change in organism that could not be remedied with lime (2). 

Some of the cells of the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid, a substance that aids in the initial digestive process. 

The pancreatic juice is released through the ampulla of Vater into the duodenum to aid in the digestive process as well as buffer acidic fluid released from the stomach (Fig. 20-1). The pancreas contains a trypsin inhibitor to prevent autolysis. 

After the food is swallowed, the digestive process continues in the stomach where the food is attacked by stomach acid. In fact, stomach acid is concentrated hydrochloric acid. The hydrochloric acid, along with an enzyme called pepsin, breaks down proteins in the food. Pepsin can only function in the low pH environment of the stomach. The hydrochloric acid is needed to maintain the low pH that pepsin needs to function. 

Figure 6.1 Acids and bases exist in the human body and are necessary for its proper function, including the function of the digestion process. When food is swallowed, it is attacked by stomach acids. The stomach acids need to be neutralized before food can continue down the digestive tract. A hormone called secretin monitors the pH balance in the small intestine and sends chemical signals to other parts of the body, thereby regulating pH balance.

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