Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention relates to the use of nanostructured sorbent materials—especially unstabilized nano-selenium (nano-Se)—to effectively capture and stabilize mercury vapor released into the environment, such as from broken fluorescent lamps. The patented solution includes packaging materials, kits, filters, and cleaning products that incorporate these sorbents or impregnate them within carrier materials like cloth, packaging liners, or filters to trap and safely contain mercury vapor, preventing its release into the air and potential harm to humans or the environment.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Safe cleanup and disposal of broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), thermometers, or other mercury-containing consumer products at home, offices, and recycling centers.
• Integration into packaging for products containing mercury to automatically capture mercury vapor if breakage occurs during shipping or disposal.
• Use in recycling containers or facilities to manage mercury vapor released during processing of spent bulbs or electronics.
• Mercury spill remediation in laboratories, dental offices, or healthcare facilities.
• Incorporation into air filters and air purifiers in residential, commercial, or industrial settings for continuous mercury vapor removal.
• Production of kits for households, schools, and businesses to provide consumers with safe means to manage accidental mercury spills.
• Use in transport and storage containers for mercury and mercury-containing waste to prevent environmental contamination.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Highly efficient capture and stabilization of mercury vapor—even in very low concentrations—reducing exposure risks to people and the environment.
• Use of nanoscale materials, especially unstabilized nano-selenium, enables extremely high mercury adsorption capacity and kinetics, requiring only small amounts of sorbent for effective treatment.
• Adaptability to multiple formats (powders, impregnated cloths, filters, bags, and packaging) for diverse settings and use-cases.
• Enhanced safety and ease of use for consumers in accidental spill events, such as from broken bulbs, minimizing health hazards.
• Potential to integrate into standard product packaging flows, offering broad and preemptive coverage for mercury exposure incidents.
• Reduces environmental contamination and facilitates compliance with regulatory guidelines on mercury handling and disposal.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The present invention is a method (600) and material for using a sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury. The method for using sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury contains the following steps (600). First, the sorbent material is provided (610). The sorbent material, in one embodiment, is nano- particles. In a preferred embodiment, the nano-particles are unstabilized nano-Se. Next, the sorbent material is exposed to mercury in an environment (620). As a result, the sorbent material captures and stabilizes mercury from the environment (630). In the preferred embodiment, the environment is an indoor space in which a fluorescent has broken.