Statistics on electroplating effluent

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Hi Friends,

I am a graduate student doing my thesis on electroplating industry. I am badly in need of some data. What I basically need is as follows: Concentrations of different metal ions in typical electroplating waste stream, say from tin plating line or from some plants itself. I would very much appreciate if any one could send me the above information or at least pointers to where I will be able to find this information. Thank you Srini.

Srinivas G
Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. Of Industrial Engg.
University of Houston, Houston, TX

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Hello, Srini.

Do you mean before or after treatment? In the U.S., all plating shops must meet at least the effluent standards published in CFR413 (Code of Federal Regulations). Most shops must meet the tougher standards of CFR433. You can find these on line. In general, we're looking at about 0.5 ppm to 4 ppm, depending on which standard applies and what metal you're looking at. Ironically, you mentioned tin which is, I believe, the only unregulated metal.

It is more difficult, and a pretty wild extrapolation, to give you typical effluent numbers before treatment, but 5 to 50 ppm is the best estimate I can give you for rinsewater from my experience. When a tank is dumped, if it were not treated, the numbers could easily be 100,000 ppm. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey