Patent ID: 7906142
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: B01J,C02F,C08B

Abstract:
1. A method of producing an agropolymer comprising a carbohydrate and silica matrix obtained from plant parts of an agricultural crop, said agricultural crop selected from the group consisting of Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp, and Arachis sp, said carbohydrate and silica matrix being substantially devoid of proteins, tannins, pigments and polyphenols, said matrix further comprising metal binding reactive sites, said method comprising: a. powdering said plant parts; b. micronizing said powdered plant parts; c. treating said micronized plant parts with either an alkaline treatment, a hydrogen peroxide treatment, or a combination of an alkaline treatment and a hydrogen peroxide treatment; d. further treating said plant parts with repeated washings of either water or an acid solution to remove alkaline and/or hydrogen peroxide residue from said plant parts obtained from step (c); e. eluting metals bound to said treated plant parts from said plant parts obtained from step (d) with an acid solution; f. neutralizing said plant parts by removing remaining acid residue from said plant parts obtained from step (e) through water washings or through the addition of a diluted alkaline solution; and g. drying the resulting agropolymer derived from said plant parts.