Compositions containing poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines

US5089470A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United State of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy · US

Inventors

• Paul J. Jackson · London, GB
• Emmanuel Delhaize · Gungahlin, AU
• Nigel J. Robinson · Durham, US
• Clifford J. Unkefer · Los Alamos, US
• Clement Furlong · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 18, 1989
• Grant date: Feb 18, 1992
• Expiry date: Dec 18, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/20
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of removing heavy metals from aqueous solution, a composition of matter used in effecting said removal, and apparatus used in effecting said removal. One or more of the polypeptides, poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines, is immobilized on an inert material in particulate form. Upon contact with an aqueous solution containing heavy metals, the polypeptides sequester the metals, removing them from the solution. There is selectivity of poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines having a particular number of monomer repeat units for particular metals. The polypeptides are easily regenerated by contact with a small amount of an organic acid, so that they can be used again to remove heavy metals from solution. This also results in the removal of the metals from the column in a concentrated form.