Researchers discovered that a frozen solution of chrome and iodine suppresses chrome’s toxicity as a carcinogen. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Polar Research Institute introduced Tuesday a new technology that uses a unique reaction caused by ice to eradicate toxins and retrieve useful substances.
The institute, along with Hallym University and the California Institute of Technology, discovered that a frozen solution of chrome and iodine suppresses chrome’s toxicity as a carcinogen, while turning iodine into a substance better suited for industrial use.
Unlike prior understanding that the chemical reaction between chrome and iodine occurs slowly at lower temperatures, freezing the compound sped up the reaction, eradicating chrome’s toxicity in just 20 minutes.
The iodine turned into an industrial-grade substance.
The chrome-iodine compound is similar to the wastewater from LCD plants, raising hopes that the new technology can be used to effectively process this wastewater.
“We were able to verify that a unique reaction caused by ice can achieve both aims of processing wastewater and acquiring industrial resources,” said Kim Ki-tae, a senior researcher at the Korea Polar Research Institute.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
