29 kesä Novel methods for online monitoring environmentally critical substances (primarily nickel) in process and waste water streams – NICK
Name: Novel methods for online monitoring environmentally critical substances (primarily nickel) in process and waste water streams
Acronym: NICK
Duration: 1.2.2012 – 31.12.2015
Total costs (€)/Tekes support 500 000 /300 000
Leading research organization partner: University of Oulu (OY)
Contact person: Dr. Jarkko Räty, University of Oulu, Jarkko.raty(at)oulu.fi
Research organization partners: Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), Department of Physics at Tampere University of Technology (TUT)
Company partners: Outotec, Valmet, Mine-On-Line Services, Talvivaaran Kaivososakeyhtiö Oyj
Number of reviewed publications, incl. submitted manuscripts: 4
Number of other publications and reports: 1
Number of thesis: Doctoral 1
Number of invention disclosures: 1
Need and motivation of the project:
Industrial operators must be aware of the quality of waste water based on EU regulations. If operators are using compounds that may cause environmental risks to the nature, it is desirable to develop a new, rapid and accurate methods and instruments to monitor these risks. Moreover in society, there is a need in general to know where and what kind of compounds into the environment, and what is their impact. The aim of this work is to develop novel and rapid on-line/on-site methods and instruments to monitor mining site discharge waters, especially nickel content.
Main set targets:
Main aims of the project are to create state-of-the-art methods and pilot instrumentation to monitor low nickel contents coming from the mining site discharge waters. Targeted detection limit is below 0.1 ppm.
Consortium will use Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and sensor based approach in order to achieve the proposed aims. Research units will prepare demonstration instruments and these will be tested in mining site application during the project.
Key results
Electrochemical method was developed and tested in mining location. Detection limit was achieved in real mining samples. (OY)
An enhanced method was developed for online trace elemental analysis of water using laser spectroscopy. Detection sensitivity of about 50 ug/L was achieved for heavy metals. (TUT)
VTT’s role in the project was to develop a robust and acid resistant on-site measurement station capable of PPM level trace metal elemental analysis directly from water reservoirs and water streams. The measurement station was based on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and the development work in the project was focused on the sampling automatization and pre-processing. Improvements to the measurement station were made and the maturity of the technology was elevated.
Commercialization measures and/or potential
University of Oulu applied commercialization funding from Tekes (TUTLi instrument) to finalize the development work for real-time metal monitoring instrument and pilot the system in mining industry. This project was successful and start-up company Meoline Oy was established in October 2015 to commercialize the measurement concept. Estimated market potential is 360 meur. Partners for market entry was identified in Nordic countries and the first contracts to Chile has been signed.
Tampere University of Technology also applied commercialization funding from Tekes (TUTLi instrument) to laser spectroscopy based technology. Clear market potential was found, but no action is taken yet toward commercialization.
VTT’s Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) based measurement station and the related technology has been presented to a large group of companies representing the industrial fields such as extractive industry, water management, and environmental analysis.
Publications
University of Oulu:
Adriana Ferancová, Maarit K. Hattuniemi, Adama M. Sesay, Jarkko P. Räty, Vesa T. Virtanen (2016) Rapid and direct electrochemical determination of Ni(II) in industrial discharge water, Journal of Hazardous Materials Volume 306, 5 April 2016, Pages 50–57
Adriana Ferancová, Maarit K. Hattuniemi, Adama M. Sesay, Jarkko P. Räty, Vesa T. Virtanen (online: 31 July 2015), Electrochemical Monitoring of Nickel(II) in Mine Water, Technical Communication Mine Water and the Environment pp 1-6
Department of Physics at Tampere University of Technology
- Järvinen, J. Saarela, and J. Toivonen, Detection of zinc and lead in water using evaporative preconcentration and single-particle laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy 86, 55-59 (2013).
- Järvinen, S. Saari, J. Keskinen, and J. Toivonen, Detection of Ni, Pb and Zn in water using electrodynamic single-particle levitation and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy 99, 9-14 (2014).
Thesis
Department of Physics at Tampere University of Technology
Samu Järvinen, Single particle laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for elemental analysis of water and bioaerosols, Doctoral Thesis, Tampere University of Technology, http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-15-3731-8 (2016).
Patents/patent applications/Innovation disclosures
University of Oulu
Adriana Ferancová, Maarit K. Hattuniemi, Mika Mahosenaho, Jarkko P. Räty, Modified electrode for determination of Ni(II) in industrial waters. Innovation disclosure.