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Statistics on electroplating effluent

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 [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
1995

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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 EPA 40CFR413(Code of Federal Regulations). Most shops must meet the tougher standards of 40CFR433. 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 common 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 50,000 ppm. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
1995