Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for electrochemical oxidation of bromide to bromine, more particularly to oxidation of bromide ions in brine, bittern and effluents using an indigenous cation exchange membrane flow cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel device that enables a person to gauge the brine density in solar salt works from afar without recourse to sampling of the brine. The device—which can be considered as an improvisation over the conventional laboratory type Baume meter—can be placed directly in the salt pan. The device remains sunk, and therefore invisible, until the desired density of brine is approached. Thereafter it gradually floats up and becomes visible from afar. From appropriate markings on the rod connected to the top end of the device, it can be gauged whether the brine is yet to attain the desired density, or has attained the desired density range, or has exceeded the desired density range. The device is resistant to corrosion and able to combat extreme weather conditions prevailing in solar salt works.

Abstract: A new process for recovery of common salt, potassium chloride, concentrated magnesium chloride with enriched bromide, and high purity magnesia from brine in an integrated manner, said process comprises preparation of calcium chloride by reaction of hydrochloric acid generated in the process with limestone, desulfatation of brine with calcium chloride, production of sodium chloride of superior quality in solar pans, solar evaporation of bittern thereby producing carnallite and end bittern, processing carnallite through established processes to produce potassium chloride, recovering end bittern containing highly concentrated magnesium chloride and enriched bromide and calcination of a part of the end bittern after solidification to produce high purity magnesia and hydrochloric acid utilizable in the process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-hazardous brominating reagent from an aqueous alkaline bromine byproduct solution obtained from bromine recovery plant and containing 25 to 35% bromine dissolved in aqueous lime or sodium hydroxide containing alkali bromide and alkali bromate mixture having bromide to bromate stoichiometric ratio in the range of 5:1 to 5.1:1 or 2:1 to 2.1:1 and a pH ranging between 8-12 and also relates to a method for borminating aromatic compounds by using the above brominating agent.

Abstract: An integrated method is developed to utilise to a maximum extent the fresh biomass of seaweeds such as Kappaphycus alvarezii that can be crushed to release sap and where the sap is useful as a potent liquid fertilizer after suitable treatment with additives and dilution while the residue is a superior raw material for extraction of &kgr;-carrageenan, thereby enhancing the value of the seaweed. Other advantages of the invention include a reduced drying time and drying area to obtain the raw material for &kgr;-carrageenan production in dry and storable form, a reduced cost of transporting and storing this raw material because of its lesser bulk, easier handling due to its free flowing granular nature, and its direct use for gel preparation in certain applications.

Abstract: The invention describes the preparation of nutrient-rich salt from high salt-accumulating and edible oil-bearing salt tolerant plants in a way that allows simultaneous recovery of both salt and oil, the plants are routinely irrigated with seawater and occasionally with seawater enriched with salt bitterns and/or other types of wastes/by-products containing essential nutrients to raise the level of such nutrients in the plant.

Abstract: A new process for recovery of Low Sodium Salt from bittern has been described in the present invention, the said process comprising desulphatation of bittern (by-product of salt industry), evaporation of bittern in solar pans and processing of solid mixture with water to produce a mixture of sodium and potassium chlorides and optionally preparing “free flowing” and iodized, by known techniques.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-hazardous brominating reagent from an aqueous alkaline bromine byproduct solution obtained from bromine recovery plant and containing 25 to 35% bromine dissolved in aqueous lime or sodium hydroxide containing alkali bromide and alkali bromate mixture having bromide to bromate stoichiometric ratio in the range of 5:1 to 5.1:1 or 2:1 to 2.

Abstract: A new process for recovery of common salt, potassium chloride, concentrated magnesium chloride with enriched bromide, and high purity magnesia from brine in an integrated manner, said process comprises preparation of calcium chloride by reaction of hydrochloric acid generated in the process with limestone, desulfatation of brine with calcium chloride, production of sodium chloride of superior quality in solar pans, solar evaporation of bittern thereby producing carnallite and end bittern, processing carnallite through established processes to produce potassium chloride, recovering end bittern containing highly concentrated magnesium chloride and enriched bromide and calcination of a part of the end bittern after solidification to produce high purity magnesia and hydrochloric acid utilizable in the process.

Abstract: This invention relates to new use of marine cyano bacterium Lyngbya, Oscillatoria, Sprulina, Anabaena and Synechocystis being deposited with ATCC having accession no ______ for the removal of calcium ions from sea-brine and sub-soil brine having density range 10 to 25.5° Be′, said use comprising culturing the cyanobacteria, inoculating the said cyanobacteria culture to raw brine of 10 to 25.5° Be′, filtering the resultant mixture to obtain a bring having less calcium and to separate the cyanobacteria which can be reused if desired.

Abstract: A highly pure and colorless tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) possessing melting point in the range of 178-182° C. is prepared in yields of 50-70% in first batch and 90-100% when the spent organic layer is recycled. In this method, the corrosive liquid bromine is displaced by sodium bromide/hydrobromic acid as brominating agent. Further, sodium bromate is used as an oxidizing as well as brominating agent to utilize the hydrobromic acid that is produced during the bromination of bisphenol-A (BPA). The reaction is conducted at 10-15° C. in a mixture of methylene chloride-water or carbon tetrachloride-water in the presence of hydrochloric acid and sodium lauryl sulfate. The crystalline product settled at the bottom of the reaction vessel is filtered, washed, dried and weighed. The spent organic layer is recycled in subsequent batches to maximize the overall yield of product recovered directly as solid and to minimize generation of organic effluent.

Abstract: A composition of matter useful in the production of photoinitiator compositions, said compositions of matter comprising 100 parts by weight of camphorquinone and from 1 to 50 parts by weight of an anthraquinone compound having in the 2-position a substituent of the formula:--X--COR.sup.1 (1)wherein R.sup.1 represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl radical and X represents ##STR1## wherein R.sup.2 represents hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl radical.