Electrokinetic Separation of Ultrafine Materials: A Review

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Importance of Separation Technology

A report on Separation and Purification conducted by the National Research Council (NRC) emphasizes the necessity for more economically efficient technologies in the area of separation.¹ Separations (solid-liquid, liquid-gas, and liquid-liquid) are essential to most manufacturing operations in chemical processing industries in the United States. The efficiency of a given separation method is often a major factor in the cost of a manufactured product. This cost is in the form of equipment, energy, and time required to effect the separation. For example, in biotechnology, the separation of the final products from dilute aqueous solutions is a critical part of the process. In the area of strategic metal mining, the majority of domestic sources are dilute; they often contain low grade ores and produce process wastes that must be separated. In the area of waste treatment, as allowable pollutant release levels are reduced, the concept of removing pollutants from dilute solutions is increasingly important. Hence, environmental separations require the improved recovery and reuse (e.g., recycling) of waste materials. Environmental separations can also aid in the reduction of toxic and hazardous material released to the environment.