Sunovion Pharmaceuticals utilizes an organometallic rhodium-based catalyst in one of their drug production processes. Due to its high cost, it is beneficial to recover for reuse; however, due to the low concentration of the catalyst in the waste stream of the process, it has proven difficult to separate from solution. Our team investigated the use of polyelectrolytes and functionalized silica metal scavengers as a means to recover the catalyst. Through the use of the ICP-OES, rhodium concentrations were analyzed before and after the addition of the polyelectrolytes and metal scavengers. While the polyelectrolytes proved ineffective due to the lack of precipitation and inability to filter, the functionalized silica metal scavengers showed over 90% recovery of rhodium at various loadings.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Toscano, Amy Elizabeth
• Bresnahan, Patrick M

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042418-115656

Advisor

• Brodeur, Drew R.
• Kmiotek, Stephen J.

Year

• 2018

Sponsor

• Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Date created

• 2018-04-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Interdisciplinary
• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2020-11-19