Calcium oxide, also called lime or quicklime, is used to treat potable and industrial water supplies, industrial waste water, liquid wastes, and sewage or animal solid wastes. The lime should be of high purity, with a high calcium oxide level and high chemical reactivity.

In the treatment of drinking water, lime is used to increase pH in order to help control the growth of bacteria and certain viruses. In waste water and industrial liquid-waste treatment, lime is cost-effective because of its high neutralizing power and rapid rate of acid neutralization. It also reduces dissolved solids in the effluent stream. Slurried lime precipitates heavy metals out of solution in liquid wastes. The metals can then be removed via settling and/or filtration.

Lime and lime kiln dust (a ground limestone or calcium carbonate) are also used to treat sewage biosolids and animal wastes, as well as solid hazardous material and industrial sludge. Treatment of human biosolids requires the use of lime, rather than limestone, to help control pathogen growth and convert the sludge into a usable agricultural product. 

Acid Rain Remediation
Lime kiln dust can also be used to treat streams, ponds, and lakes affected by acid rain. Acid rain has a doubly harmful effect on bodies of water, causing pH to drop from both its inherent acidity and the runoff it causes in adjacent acidic soils. Coarsely ground calcium carbonate (GCC) is often slurried and pumped into the water from a boat. In less accessible areas, the dry powder can be dropped from aircraft.

Specialty Minerals Products for Waste Treatment  Applications
Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI) manufactures two products for waste water and waste solids treatment in its plant in Adams, Massachusetts. 

• High Calcium Quicklime – a highly reactive, industrial granular lime with a high calcium oxide content.
• Eco-Cal^® LKD (Lime Kiln Dust) GCC – a ground limestone with good acid reactivity.

Click on a product name to download the technical data sheet for the product.

Learn more:

• SMI products for environmental applications
   
• Download technical data sheets for SMI minerals
• Request a sample
   
• What is Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC)? A minerals introductory webpage.
• What is Lime / Quicklime / Calcium Oxide? A minerals introductory webpage.
   
• About Specialty Minerals Inc.
   
• Specialty Minerals plant profiles: Adams, MA
• Quality and ISO at Specialty Minerals