Enrichment of trace metals in water utilizing the coagulation of soybean protein

Abstract

An enrichment of trace metals in water with a coagulated soybean protein and the complex-forming character of heavy metal ions with the soybean protein were investigated by means of emission spectrography. Fixed amounts of soybean milk (collector) and δ-gluconic lactone (coagulant) were added to a sample solution containing various metal ions, and then the mixture was heated to boiling in order to coagulate the protein. The coagulum (soybean curd) separated from the suspension with a centrifuge was burned to ashes with a low temperature plasma asher. Then metals enriched in the soybean curd were determined by means of emission spectrography. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 4.4~5.0 by adding suitable amounts of δ-gluconic lactone for the complete coagulation of the soybean protein. The proposed method can be applied to the collection and enrichment of various metal ions such as gold, silver, mercury, platinum, cadmium, beryllium, palladium, antimony, gallium, indium, cerium, lanthanum, thorium, yttrium, zirconium, etc. Those metals are not detectable in the original soybean. © 1975, The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. All rights reserved.