Xref: utzoo sci.energy:3798 sci.environment:9220 sci.chem:2935 sci.electronics:16936 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod!ncar!csn!tramp.Colorado.EDU!gordon From: gordon@news.colorado.edu (GORDON ALLEN R) Newsgroups: sci.energy,sci.environment,sci.chem,sci.electronics Subject: Re: EDTA and lead acid cells Message-ID: Date: 14 Jan 91 22:54:39 GMT References: <1991Jan14.185450.24785@amd.com> <1991Jan14.220336.9751@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> Sender: news@csn.org Reply-To: gordon@tramp.Colorado.EDU Organization: Colorado SuperNet Inc. Lines: 21 Nntp-Posting-Host: tramp.colorado.edu EDTA, which basically stands for ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, is a very powerful chelator of divalent cations. It has been used in basic research to remove divalent cations from solution, such as Ca++, Mg++, etc. It has also been used clinically to remove Pb and perhaps other heavy metals, from the blood of poisoned individuals. There is no reason why it should not work in batteries to remove those metals which might poison the electrodes. However, the ability of EDTA to bind those metals depends on pH as well as whether they are divalent in solution. Over time, however, EDTA would tend to draw off metals from the electrodes (through mass action). It would also tend to draw off Pb ions as well. Needless to say, the resulting solution must be handled and disposed of as a toxic chemical. Allen Gordon -- Allen Gordon * If all your folly were changed to * gordon@tramp.colorado.edu * intelligence and divided amongst a * gordon_A@cubldr.colorado.edu * thousand toads, each would be more * * intelligent than Aristotle *