Overview
A solution contains 45 mg/L of barium (Ba2+). A consultant has suggested that the Ba2+ could be removed from solution by converting it to solid barium sulfate, BaSO₄(s). To accomplish this, they proposed adding enough Na₂SO₄ to the solution to convert all the Ba2+ to BaSO₄(s), plus an extra 5 mg/L SO₄2– as a safety factor.
a) What dose (in mg/L) of Na2SO₄ should be added?
b) What is the mass of solids (in kg) that forms if all the Ba2+ precipitated? Assume 1,000 L volume.
c) How much solids (in kg/d) would be generated daily by this process at a facility that treats 60 m3/hr of a waste stream containing 45 mg/L of Ba2+. Assume 100% removal of the barium.