Photochemical transformation of metallic and non-metallic ions in an aqueous environment

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of photochemical transformation of metallic and non-metallic ions in an aqueous environment. The method comprises exposing the ions to UV irradiation in the presence of an organic acid. The aqueous ions are reduced by the method and may form hydrides, alkyl or carbonyl compounds.

1 . A method of: 
 a) reducing an ion of a metal in an aqueous environment;    b) synthesizing a compound which contains a metal-carbon bond from an ion of said metal in an aqueous environment;    c) synthesizing an alkyl metal compound from an ion of said metal in an aqueous environment;    d) synthesizing a metal carbonyl compound from an ion of said metal in an aqueous environment;    e) synthesizing a metal hydride compound from an ion of said metal in an aqueous environment;    f) converting an ion of a metal in an aqueous environment into a volatile compound; or    g) extracting an ion of a metal in an aqueous environment;    wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of noble metals and transition metals comprising the steps of:    i) adding a carboxylic acid to the aqueous environment; and    ii) exposing the metal ion and the carboxylic acid in the aqueous environment to a source of UV light.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of As, Bi, Cu, Au, Pt, Pd, Hg, Sb, Sn, Te, Co, Fe, Cd, Rh, Ag, Se, Pb and Ni.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and malonic acid.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Se.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Ni.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Hg.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the metal ion is an ion of As.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the additional step of adding a photocatalyst to the aqueous environment.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the photocatalyst is selected from TiO 2  and NO 3   − .  
     
     
         10 . A method of: 
 a) reducing an ion of an element in an aqueous environment;    b) synthesizing a compound which contains an element-carbon bond from an ion of said element in an aqueous environment;    c) synthesizing an alkyl element compound from an ion of said element in an aqueous environment;    d) synthesizing an element carbonyl compound from an ion of said element in an aqueous environment;    e) synthesizing an element hydride compound from an ion of said element in an aqueous environment;    f) converting an ion of an element in an aqueous environment into a volatile compound; or    g) extracting an ion of an element in an aqueous environment;    wherein said element is selected from the group consisting of S, P, I, As, Bi, Cu, Au, Pt, Pd, Hg, Sb, Sn, Te, Co, Fe, Cd, Rh, Ag, Se, Pb and Ni comprising the steps of:    i) adding a carboxylic acid to the aqueous environment; and    ii) exposing the ion of the element and the carboxylic acid in the aqueous environment to a source of UV light.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and malonic acid.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  comprising the additional step of adding a photocatalyst to the aqueous environment.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the photocatalyst is selected from TiO 2  and NO 3   − .  
     
     
         14 . A method of converting an ion of a metal in an aqueous environment into a volatile compound wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of noble metals and transition metals comprising the steps of: 
 i) adding a carboxylic acid to the aqueous environment; and    ii) exposing the metal ion and the carboxylic acid in the aqueous environment to a source of UV light.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of As, Bi, Cu, Au, Pt, Pd, Hg, Sb, Sn, Te, Co, Fe, Cd, Rh, Ag, Se, Pb and Ni.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and malonic acid.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Se.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Ni.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal ion is an ion of Hg.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal ion is an ion of As.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  comprising the additional step of adding a photocatalyst to the aqueous environment.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the photocatalyst is selected from TiO 2  and NO 3   − .