Feb. 9, 1998 -- Some of this week's stories
New process can remove metals from waste
Argonne scientists have developed a simplified
approach to removing metals and radionuclides from waste or process
streams which could result in significant
financial and environmental savings for a variety of industrial
separations processes.
Financial savings come from reducing chemical purchases
and capital expenditures, and environmental savings are brought
about by allowing repeated re-use of process solutions, thus
minimizing waste.
This new approach, which Argonne has patented, uses
small magnetic particles with a chemical coating. The coating is a
solvent containing an extractant that selectively attracts specific
metals, said Argonne chemist and process developer Luis Nuñez (CMT).
These particles (from Cortex Biochem, Inc., San Leandro,
Calif.) are poured into a tank containing a process or waste solution,
where the coating extracts the low concentration of metal. The
magnetic particles, and their metal baggage, are removed from the solution
with magnets, Nuñez said.
The metal can be stripped from the particles, allowing both
the metal and the particles to be recovered, while the process
solution can be recycled to the plant. The extractants placed on the
magnetic particles can be tailored to the need, for example, to remove
radionuclides.
Compared to ion exchange processes, efficiencies with
magnetic separation are as much as 100 times greater. The extractant
coatings are effective in acidic and caustic conditions, eliminating
problems and costs associated with neutralization. Unlike ion exchange
and solvent extraction, this process is effective with fine particles.
This is an in-tank or near-tank process that is inherently
simple, compact, low cost, and low maintenance. It could be applied
in recovery, recycling, and waste minimization activities at
many industrial sites. It would reduce the need for capital
expenditure to address ever-increasing environmental compliance
levels, greatly reduce the chemical inventory required for metals
separation, and, in some applications, recover metals of potential
commercial value. Among the industries in which this process
could be applied are the electroplating, environmental, and
mining/metallurgy industries.
The process has been demonstrated at bench scale for a
wide variety of waste streams, and scaleup and pilot testing
are planned. Scaleup has been successful in other applications of
magnetic separation.
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Lab receives $107, 927 for power cuts
Energy conservation pays off again in 1997 as
the laboraotory received its largest checksince
becoming a member of the Commonwealth Energy
Cooperative (CEEC). The check for $107,927 was presented
to Argonne at an award ceremony at Navy Pier in
Chicago.
Argonne became a member of the CEEC in 1992 and has since received
approximately $500,000 from Com Ed for reducing
electrical demand during peak periods. CEEC
members, which include more than 200 companies, can
be asked to reduce electrical demand during the
months of June through September between noon and 8 p.m.
"All Argonne employees are to be congratulated
for the energy savings achieved during the summer
months of 1997," said CEEC Coordinator Jug Uppal (PFS).
At Argonne, employees are asked to turn off
non-essential lights and equipment. Standby diesel generators
are started to provide part of the necessary electrical
supply. Argonne receives $35 from Com Ed for every
kilowatt saved, making the diesel generators cost-effective.
This year, Argonne was asked to curtail power
on three occasions, totaling 18 hours. Power
consumption dropped by about 2,938 kilowatts. As a result,
Argonne also receives a smaller electric bill.
"PFS organized a small group to plan for the
demand periods which paid off dramatically," said Uppal.
"The PFS maintenance group, managed by Rich Pagel,
put forth an extra effort to run the diesel generators to
optimize energy use, resulting in the cost savings."
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3 new members named to board of governors
Three new members have been named to the University of
Chicago Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratory:
Pennsylvania State University Chemistry Professor Stephen J. Benkovic; Robert
C. Dynes, chancellor of the University of California at San Diego; and
Helen Petrauskas, vice president of environmental and safety
engineering at Ford Motor Co.
The board provides guidance, oversight, direction and advice
to laboratory management. Its 21 members are drawn from University
of Chicago trustees, officials and faculty, representatives from other
universities and industry leaders.
* Benkovic is Evan Pugh professor and Eberly Chair in chemistry
at Pennsylvania State University. He has received many awards for
his research on enzymes, catalysis and DNA replication, including the
Alfred Bader Award of the American Chemical Society, and election to the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of
Sciences and the Institute of Medicine.
He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the
Federation of American Biologists, Sigma Xi and the Chemical Society.
* Dynes, a professor of physics, has held several posts at the
University of California, San Diego, including senior vice chancellor
for academic affairs and physics department chair. Previously,
he worked for 22 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories, serving for seven
years as director of chemical physics research. He has written 185
journal articles.
His research interests include the properties of ultra-thin films
of conductors and superconductors (materials that conduct
electricity with no resistance), and high-temperature superconductors.
Dynes is a member of the National Academy of Sciences,
a fellow of the American Physical Society, the Canadian
Institute of Advanced Research and the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences. He received a Fritz London Award in Low
Temperature Physics in 1994.
* Petrauskas coordinates Ford's safety, fuel economy and
environmental protection planning, and is Ford's principal spokesperson
on environmental and vehicle safety activities.
Petrauskas has served on a number of policy development
organizations, including membership on the U.S. Alternative Fuels Council
and the U.S. Board of Trustees of the Regional Development Center
for Central and Eastern Europe. Petrauskas is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Sherwin Williams Co. and MCN Energy.
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Gopal Shenoy named fellow of American Physical Society
Experimental Facilities Division Director Gopal Shenoy
has been named a fellow of the American Physical Society.
The American Physical Society is an organization of
more than 41,000 physicists worldwide. Election to fellowship
represents peer recognition of outstanding contributions
to physics through original research and publication and
innovative application of physics to science and technology. The honor
is limited to no more than one-half of one percent of the
membership of the society.
Shenoy's citation honors him "for his contributions to the
study of magnetic superconductors and his pioneering role and
leadership in the development of the Advanced Photon Source."
The Advanced Photon Source is the nation's most
powerful source of X-rays for pioneering experiments crucial for
maintaining the nation's technological competitiveness. Research at
the APS is expected to lead to new and improved
electronics, chemicals, industrial materials, pharmaceutical goods,
medical diagnostics and consumer products. The $467 million
light source, two-thirds of a mile in circumference, is located on
an 80-acre site at Argonne.
Shenoy's other honors include promotion to senior
scientist in 1982, and the University of Chicago's Distinguished
Performance Award, given in 1986 for developing the concept,
design and plan for the APS.
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Club plans lunchtime chess tournament
The Argonne Chess Club will hold lunchtime
speed-chess tournaments open to all employees Monday Feb. 16 and 23,
and March 2 and 9 in Argonne-East's Building 362, room E188.
Entry fee is $1. All entry fees will be returned as prizes.
The chess club will provide all needed equipment.
Games will be timed at 5 minutes each. The tournaments
will use Swiss system pairings if more than six players enter,
otherwise pairings will be round robin.
Registration ends at noon. Games will start at 12:05 p.m.
For more information, call Dave Baurac (OPA) at ext.
2-5584 or Bob Hill at ext. 2-4865.
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All-day forum to focus on using the Web
An all-day forum designed to increase awareness of the
applications and capabilities of the World Wide Web at the laboratory
is planned for Tuesday, Feb. 10, in Argonne-East's Building 203
Auditorium.
Sponsored by the Electronics and Computing Technologies
Division, the forum will begin at 9 a.m.
The event is intended for Argonne employees interested
in learning how Argonne organizations have used the web to develop
various applications to get work done.
Click here for a preliminary agenda of topics.
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History month posters
are free for the asking
Art collectors, take note: the Human Resources Diversity
Program Office is giving away 1997 commemorative holiday
posters. Available posters include Black History Month, Asian American
Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Disability Month and Native
American Month.
For more information, call Colleen Girard (HR) at ext. 3021.
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Classes can help with writing, difficult people
Human Resources will offer classes in "Dealing with
Difficult People" and "Technical Communication" at Argonne-East
during February.
* Dealing with Difficult People (HR221) will teach
participants to recognize and respond to aggression,
defiance, anger and other difficult behaviors, how to deal with
disruptive behavior and conflict in groups and how to give
constructive feedback. Class will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. in Building 362, Room F108. Cost is $125.
* Technical Communication (HR220) is a hands-on course
for technical professionals. Participants will acquire the
background to analyze and adapt to readers' needs, recognize barriers to
accurate communication, revise and prepare manuscripts for
publication. The course will be held on eight consecutive
Wednesday afternoons beginning Feb. 18 in Building 201, Room
190A. Cost is $350.
Full class information, and enrollment forms for all
HR classes, is available on the Human Resources home page
at http://www.anl.gov/HR/home.html under
"Performance Development." For more
information, call Betty Iwan (HR) at ext. 2-3410.
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Service awards for December include:
35 Years
Anthony J. Gorski (ASD), Donald L. Reigle (SEC), Gordon L.
Veerman (ESH-FD).
25 Years
Mary M. Berillo (PFS-PMO), Arthur J. Goldman (OPS).
20 Years
Jacqueline J. Griffith (IPD-MED), Daniel J. Koste
(RPS-SUP), Marianne M. Mintz (ES), Donald E. Newsom (DIS), Marion
M. Oldham (HR), Marie Sovereign (RPS-ESW), Robert G.
Wagner (HEP).
10 Years
Daniel J. Ciarlette (ASD), Michael T. Lanagan (ET), Stephanie
Malak (TD), Marianne Noy (ED), Laura A. Schmidt (EMO-WMO).
5 Years
Kayong Burdi (OCF-BSS), Mary S. Mihelich (DEP),
Angela Monczynski (IPD-TIS), Susan M. Rogers (OCF-ACT), Linda
J. Shoudis (XFD), Timothy A. Smith (XFD).
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NEW ARRIVALS
A boy, Wesley, born Nov. 3 to Albert
Sheng (ASD); a boy, Ryan Christopher, born Oct. 27
to first-time parents Christopher Johnson (CMT) and
Lisa Utschig-Johnson (CMT); a boy, Alexander George, born Oct.
2 to first-time parents Brent and Yolantha
Siegfried (CMT); a boy, Alexander Peter, born
Oct. 29 to Angie and Ian Foster (MCS); a boy, Wyatt, born
Oct. 8 to Mike and Stephanie Vogler (RPS); a boy, Christopher
Brandon, born Nov. 6 to Vern (RPS) and Monica
Peterson (ENG); a boy, Sebastian, born Oct. 1
to Scarlet and Humberto Garcia (TD); a girl, Tara Jo, born
Oct. 20 to Corey and Donna Shaw (RPS). Proud
grandparents: a granddaughter, Amber Kathleen Miller, born Oct.
30 for Ed and Kathy Weeks (ECT); a grandson, Robert Jeffery
Wulf Jr., born Sept. 24 for Betty Wulf (ECT) and Aunt
Julie Wulf (XFD); a grandson, Nathan Scott, born for first-time
grandmother Diane Hawk (EMO); a granddaughter, Hanna, born
Nov. 23 for Jack and Dolores Lagerquist (RPS).
ACHIEVEMENTS
Jim Cavallo (DIS) received the 1997 Environmental
Professional of the Year award from the Chicago chapter of the Association
of Energy Engineers. Sharon Lesinski (PFS) received
a bachelor's degree with highest honors in Business
Administration from Lewis University. Tracy
Rogness (OTD-PRA) received a bachelor's degree with a
triple major in Business Administration, Finance and Economics
from Lewis University. Gary Bette' (RPS) received a master's
degree. Zach Batte', son of Gary Batte' (RPS) signed with Virginia
Military Institute to play basketball.
WEDDINGS/ENGAGEMENTS
Congratulations to Laurie Langosch (APS) and
Gary Scheiblein on their Oct. 10 wedding. Congratulations to
Jennifer Fedder (RPS) and Randy Turnage on their Nov. 20
wedding. Congratulation to Deborah Blunt (EAD) and Bassel Nabelssi
on their engagement.
GET WELL WISHES
Wishes for a speedy recovery to Ken
Thompson (ASD) who is recovering from eye surgery.
WELCOME
MSD welcomes Joel Mesot, Maria Luisa Medarde
Barragan, Xidong Chen, Peter
Baumann and Ute Ruett. TD-AW welcomes
Karen Toews and Karen Gore.
CONDOLENCES
Condolences to Jerry Lowe (RA) on the death of his
mother; to Julie and Randy Hudson (MSD) on the death of their
infant daughter, Jessica Joyce; to Phyllis
Kay (EAD) on the death of her father-in-law;
Jim Frego (EMO) on the death of his mother; to
Eliane Lessner (ASD) on the death of her mother-in-law;
to Mike Janeczko (RPS) on the death of his father; to
Tammie Taylor (ENG) on the death of her daughter;
Monte Windmiller (RPS) on the death of his
mother; and to friends and family of Ken
Amar (RPS) who passed away Oct. 8.
FAREWELL
Good luck to Mark Masek (IPD-TIS), William
Sheehan (IPD-TIS), Lynda Narug (ES),
Pam Maholtra (ES), Sue Rura (ES),
Chris Foster (MSD), Patrick Caraher (DIS),
Robert Kero (DIS), Michele
McCusker-Whiting (DIS) and Cheryl
Drugan (IPD-TCS) who have all left the laboratory.
CONTRIBUTORS
Thanks to this issue's contributors: Judy
Beumer (MSD), Barbara Burke (ECT),
Loretta Cescato (CMT), Bonnie
Gianpetro (EMO), Gloria Griparis (IPD-TCS),
Barb Hall (ASD), Eileen Johnson
(RA), Sheila Jungman (MSD), Karen
Kroczek (PFS), Cathy Nelson (IPD-TIS),
JoAnn Parnell (ES) and Eleanor
Robson (EAD).
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