Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Disposal of Vanadium

Parakeet - 3-6-2023 at 03:55

I am planning an experiment with vanadium, but I am not sure what to do with the solution containing various oxidation states of vanadium. How do you dispose of vanadium waste?

Texium - 3-6-2023 at 05:33

I collect vanadium with other heavy metals like chromium, nickel, and lead. I keep my heavy metal waste in a sturdy plastic container, and then… do nothing with it. I still just have a container of waste following me around. I do eventually plan to do something more permanent with it, though.

The best option for heavy metals in general, in my opinion, is to precipitate them as highly insoluble salts (carbonates, sulfates, sulfides, depending on the metals contained), calcine the hell out of the precipitate, and then mix it with a much larger volume of concrete powder. Then you form it into whatever you want. I think I’ll build a square wooden jig that I can use to make myself some pavers for my yard. Now the metals are contained in a form that will take decades, if not centuries, to break down. It will disperse into the environment so slowly that there should be no negative impact.

Parakeet - 4-6-2023 at 01:08

Hmm, what anion can be used in this case to precipitate vanadium?
Most metal sulfides are insoluble, but I could find very little information about vanadium sulfide.
Many heavy metals form a precipitate with hydroxide, but this cannot probably be used for vanadium because of the metavanadate formation.

Well, as a last resort, I can bring it to my institution and have it disposed of, but it’s not a good practice. Alternatively, I can bring it to a waste disposal facility, but this option is costly for test tube-scale.

Admagistr - 4-6-2023 at 05:41

I would use sodium silicate to neutralize the vanadium and precipitate the insoluble hydrated silicate.It is sold here as "water glass. "It is about a 35% aqueous solution of Na2SiO32.

unionised - 4-6-2023 at 05:49

I'm pretty sure that calcium vanadate mixed into cement would be practically insoluble.
https://www.911metallurgist.com/calcium-vanadate/

The amount of vanadium you add to the environment will probably be small compared to that from rusting alloy steels.

Bedlasky - 4-6-2023 at 05:52

Calcium vanadate is insoluble.

Parakeet - 4-6-2023 at 16:34

Never thought about calcium. Looks like it can be used. Silicates are bit harder to get for me. (I have to make it from SiO2 and NaOH.)
Thanks for your ideas.

j_sum1 - 4-6-2023 at 17:46

This is good information to have before my vanadium projects.
Much appreciated.

Bedlasky - 5-6-2023 at 09:23

There is even some research about precipitating calcium vanvadate. Depending on pH you precipitate different products:

https://www.911metallurgist.com/calcium-vanadate/

DraconicAcid - 5-6-2023 at 20:13

Now I'm curious about growing crystals of calcium vanadate......