Clay-polymer chemistry for industrial wastewater treatment has been widely used in various industries for decades. Originally designed and targeted for removal of oils and heavy metals, it has evolved into a multifaceted product line with numerous blends capable of performing a wide range of treatment functions. Popular in the plating, aerospace, ink, and machining industries, these products provide an alternative to conventional treatment methods and often greatly enhance the performance of any chemically driven treatment system.

General Overview

Wastewaters generally contain a mixture of solids (both suspended and colloidal), dissolved metals and organic compounds. While there are many options available to remove these contaminants, most involve multiple steps and a considerable amount of time for the process. The traditional approach to pretreat waste streams for discharge or re-use typically involved:

  • Adjusting pH to break oil emulsions and precipitate dissolved metals;
  • Adding coagulants to aid agglomeration of metals into a small masses;
  • Adding polymers (polyelectrolytes) to help form larger masses (flocs) for removal.

Our broad line of clay-polymer flocculants eliminates these laborious, multi-step processes. All of our formulas are a non-hazardous blend of bentonite clay, minerals and other proprietary resources. MCi offers generators of various waste streams a safe, simple, and cost-effective means for pre-treatment and disposal. In addition, our products eliminate the need for handling and storing liquid chemicals used in traditional waste water treatment systems.

The MCi clay-polymer process can be described as follows:

  • Acidic components release and cause oily particles to de-emulsify and separate from water.
  • Cationic polymers attract any remaining oil and highly charged anions.
  • A base component helps precipitate metal hydroxides.
  • Wastewater is now in a condition known as flocculation, where cationic molecules and metallic ions are all attracted to the clay and form larger masses.
  • Clay particles begin to stick together, entrapping other components and surrounding them completely, a process known as micro-encapsulation.
  • Encapsulated particles are ready to be de-watered and disposed of properly as a non-hazardous waste.

This entire process is completed within minutes and does not require any operator intervention or “jar testing.”  The MCi process combines all components of traditional pre-treatment into one single step.

Ford Motor Company, Alcoa, Nalco, NASA, GE, Boeing Aerospace, Honeywell, Weyerhaeuser, and Lockheed are just a few companies who have utilized clay-polymer technology.

Clay-Polymer Treatment Characteristics

Clay–polymer products come in dry powder and granular form

They are generally added to the wastestream by hand or feeder.

Treatment of wastewater is usually 20%-70% faster than conventional
treatment methods.

The floc produced will withstand much more disturbance than
conventional floc.

The floc will, if desired, settles more quickly than conventional methods.

Wastewater contaminants are encapsulated in the clay platelets
thereby producing the safest non-leachable sludge.

The clay platelets provide for enhanced dewatering in filter presses,
band filters, vacuum drum filters, and belt filters.

Pre-coating of filter presses is not needed and cleaning intervals are
reduced.

Clay-polymer sludge will begin a pozzolanic or curing process when
exposed to air. Non-leachability improves with time.

Many facilities have reduced their sludge volume by as much as 66%
over liquid polymer and coagulant treatment methods.

Filter press systems will generally produce dryer cakes in less time.

MCi manufactures a number of specialized blends for a variety of applications.