Electroplating and metal finishing
Capture chromium, nickel, zinc and copper.
- Plating shops
- Anodising units
- Galvanising
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP / 08
Developed withInstitute of Chemical Technology, MumbaiIndia's chemical technology institute since 1933
Validated in trialsDelivered by Rispri Labs
Metal recovery from effluent.
Selective, even in strong acid.
Rispri Labs delivers selective adsorbents, developed with ICT Mumbai, that capture heavy metals and rare earths from strongly acidic streams where ordinary resins fail. Remove the hazard, recover the value.
RESEARCH TO REALITYRispri Labs × ICT Mumbai
ICT Mumbai
What it means for you
Recover metals instead of making sludge.
90%+
of target metals captured, even from strong acid.
1 gram
of adsorbent holds over 1,400 m² of surface, about a fifth of a football pitch.
Recover
Metals leave as a product, not as hazardous sludge.
Performance
Selective where it matters.
Metals often leave plants in acidic streams that break down ion-exchange resins and defeat precipitation. Porous organic polymers are built with binding sites for target metals and stay stable in strong acid and radiation.
- 1,400m²/g+
- Surface area of the polymer adsorbent
- 90%+
- Removal of target metals from a simulated acidic waste
- 452mg/g
- Peak uptake capacity for a target metal
- 500kGy
- Radiation dose the material withstands
Figures are from the research team's controlled trials. Performance on your stream is confirmed in our laboratory before design.
Challenge and response
The problems this solves.
- 01The challenge
Ion-exchange resins break down in strongly acidic streams.
How we solve itPolymers stay stable in concentrated acid.
- 02The challenge
Lime precipitation creates large volumes of hazardous sludge.
How we solve itSelective adsorption captures metals with little sludge.
- 03The challenge
Valuable metals and rare earths leave with the effluent.
How we solve itRecover them for reuse or sale.
- 04The challenge
Non-selective media load up on harmless ions.
How we solve itBinding sites target specific metals.
How it works
The process, step by step.
- 1
Design
Binding sites are built into a porous polymer for the target metal.
- 2
Capture
Effluent passes through; target metals bind, other ions pass.
- 3
Recover
Loaded media is stripped to release concentrated metal.
- 4
Reuse
Regenerated media goes back into service, moving to continuous bead columns.
Use cases
Where heavy metal and rare-earth recovery from wastewater delivers.
Mining and mineral processing
Treat acidic drainage and process liquors.
- Acid mine drainage
- Leach liquors
- Tailings water
E-waste and battery recycling
Recover critical metals from leach streams.
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Printed circuit boards
- Magnets
Rare-earth recovery
Selectively pull rare earths from mixed streams.
- Magnet scrap
- Phosphor recovery
- Mineral sands
Radiochemical streams
Remove actinides from nitric acid waste.
- Reprocessing effluent
- Research facilities
- Decommissioning
Iodine capture
Trap iodine from process and off-gas streams.
- Pharma and chemicals
- Iodine recovery
- Off-gas treatment
Comparison
How it compares.
| Factor | Lime precipitation / ion exchange | Rispri solution |
|---|---|---|
| Acid tolerance | Resins degrade in strong acid | Stable in concentrated acid |
| Selectivity | Captures many ions | Binding sites for target metals |
| Sludge | Large volumes of metal hydroxide sludge | Little added sludge |
| Metal value | Locked in hazardous sludge | Recovered for reuse or sale |
| Surface area | Typical resins and carbons | Above 1,400 m²/g |
Standards and regulations
Designed around the rules that apply to you.
We design each system to meet your consent conditions and the regulations for your sector, and our laboratory reports against them.
- Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016Management of metal-bearing sludge and residues.
- E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022Recovery targets for e-waste recyclers.
- Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022Material recovery targets for battery recyclers.
- National Critical Mineral MissionNational push to recover critical minerals, including from waste.
Industries served
Built for the sectors that need it most.
- Metal finishing
- Mining and minerals
- E-waste and battery recycling
- Chemicals and pharma
- Circular economy and process design
- Waste management
Why Rispri
Institute science. Industrial delivery.
Institute-developed technology
Built on patented and peer-reviewed research from our partnership with ICT Mumbai.
Tested on your stream
Our accredited laboratory characterises your water or waste before design and verifies results after.
Engineering since 1999
The team that builds ETPs, STPs and ZLD plants across India takes each solution from pilot to full scale.
One accountable partner
Design, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and testing under one contract.
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Which metals can it capture?
Published results cover uranium, plutonium and americium from strong nitric acid, plus iodine and dyes. The polymer chemistry can be tuned for other heavy metals and rare earths; we test your stream before design.
How does it work in strong acid?
The polymers are fully organic and covalently bonded, so they stay stable in concentrated acid where many resins break down. They also withstood 500 kGy of radiation.
Can the media be reused?
Yes. The adsorbents are regenerated and reused, and are being developed as beads for continuous column operation.
What capacity can I expect?
Uptake capacities of 189 to 452 mg/g have been reported for different targets, with over 90% removal from a simulated acidic waste.
How ready is the technology?
It has been validated in controlled trials. We take it forward through laboratory tests and a pilot on your own stream.
Research partnerships
More solutions from our partnerships.
THE NEXT STEP
Prove it on
your own stream.
Send us a sample or tell us about your site. We will test it, recommend a configuration and set up a pilot.
Request a pilot