Development of Separation Technologies for Environmental Remediation

This paper introduces some studies on the development of separation technologies for environmental remediation that have been performed in my laboratory over the past 20 years. The studies are related mainly to the development of easily collectable adsorbents and eco-friendly remediation technologies to remove pollutants from contaminated environments. First, the investigation of pollution in the Songhua River in China is described because it was that research that gave me the opportunity to consider the necessity of an easily collectable adsorbent. Then, the separation methods using the modified magnetite to remove pollutants by a magnet are introduced and the development of adsorbents that can float up to the water surface after adsorption at the bottom of the water is described. Electrochemical methods to accumulate pollutants in water on a carbon fiber electrode and electro-kinetic remediation to remove pollutants in soil are also introduced.