Systems and methods of removing and managing heavy metals

Abstract

Systems and methods remove and manage heavy metals. In one implementation, an exemplary method can be applied to food processing and food consumption to remove heavy metals such as mercury, lead, uranium and cadmium before absorption by a living organism. The exemplary method exposes the food to a heavy-metal binding ligand, such as a concentrated protein or phytic acid, to form a heavy-metal chelate, and then allows the chelate to separate from the food. In another implementation, an exemplary probe possesses innovative molecular layers on its surface to detect and quantify heavy metals by attracting and binding traces of the heavy metals on a ligand layer.

1 . A sensor for detecting a presence of a heavy metal or pollutant on a surface or associated with an object, wherein the sensor comprises a nano-porous membrane-based sensor and a ligand surface on the sensor for receiving a sample amount of the heavy metal or pollutant from the surface or from the object for measurement;
 wherein the ligand surface binds with atoms or ions of the heavy metal or pollutant in a ratio representative of the heavy metal or pollutant on the surface or in the object;   wherein a binding agent is applied to nano wells of the nano-porous membrane-based sensor in order to secure a ligand to the nano wells, the ligand binding the heavy metal or pollutant for detection by the nano-porous membrane-based sensor; and   wherein the ligand comprises one of a legume protein, a pulse legume protein, a vegetable protein, a grain protein, EDTA, phytic acid, or a phytic acid derivative.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongated member to support an area of the ligand surface suitable for quantifying the heavy metal or pollutant via analytical processing, including one of chemical, spectroscopic, spectrophotometric, electric, or electronic analytical processing. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein a measured amount of the heavy metal or pollutant is compared against known chelation rates between the heavy metal or pollutant and a selected ligand in the ligand surface to determine an estimated amount of the heavy metal or pollutant on the surface or in the object. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes multiple sensing sites, each sensing site tuned to a different target heavy metal or pollutant. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein a binding of the heavy metal or pollutant to the ligand surface is reversible to enable ongoing real-time measurement of heavy metals or pollutants in an environmental setting including in air and in water. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the heavy metal comprises one of mercury, lead, arsenic, uranium, or cadmium. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the heavy metal is mercury. 
     
     
         8 . A filter, comprising:
 fibers;   a ligand embedded on the fibers to bind with a heavy metal or a pollutant passing through the fibers.   
     
     
         9 . The filter of  claim 8 , wherein the ligand comprises ligand one of a protein, a concentrated protein, a concentrated legume protein, a concentrated pulse legume protein, a concentrated vegetable protein, a concentrated grain protein, EDTA, or phytic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The filter of  claim 8 , wherein the fibers comprise a mesh or fabric-like material. 
     
     
         11 . The filter of  claim 8 , further comprising an attachment to an opening in a vessel for seawater to pass through the fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The filter of  claim 8 , wherein a solution containing the ligand is flowed through the fibers at a first rate related to second rate at which a fluid containing at least one heavy metal or pollutant is flowed through the fibers for mixing the solution and the fluid in the fibers to remove the heavy metal or pollutant from the fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The filter of  claim 8 , further comprising an outlet to provide decontaminated water or air. 
     
     
         14 . The filter of  claim 13 , further comprising a charcoal filter.