Use of precipitate electroflotation for increasing the degree of wastewater treatment to remove nonferrous metals

A method is suggested and studied of removing nonferrous metals of from waste waters. The method is, that waste water containing nonferrous metals is treated to adjust pH to 9–10, after which sodium orthophosphate solution is added at metal/phosphate ion weight ratio 1 : (0.5–0.7) resulting in formation of slightly water-soluble metal hydroxyphosphate whose solubility is inferior to that of corresponding metal hydroxide. To isolate resulting compounds, electroflotation method with insoluble anodes is employed. Efficiency of removing nonferrous and heavy metals meets norms established for water discharge into fish-industry reservoirs.