Recovery Fundamentals and Process
Recovering (recycling) iodine is environmentally and economically important because it is a scarce and limited resource. For many years, iodine-containing byproducts were considered waste due to impurities in the byproduct mixture.
As iodine experts, IOCHEM saw an opportunity to transform this consideration and increase iodine supply by implementing the first US iodine recovery facility capable of processing iodine byproduct streams into market-ready, high purity iodine.
Our vision was simple – to reshape the way we think of iodine byproduct streams and to increase the availability of a rare and finite resource.
Recovery Materials and Methods
Iochem recovers iodine using a variety of methods, allowing recovery from:
- Organically bound iodine
- Iodine solids (wet cake)
- Inorganic iodine solutions
- Inorganic iodine solutions with organic impurities
Iochem is the premier location in North America for iodine recovery. We break down the impurities of the product and separate the contained iodine as a gas, which passes through a recovery system, is concentrated, and then processed into crude iodine. Although the refinement process is simplified compared to virgin iodine production, the recovered iodine produced is above 99.3% purity and often above the standard purity of 99.5%.
Are Your Iodine Byproducts rights for Recovery?
Common Industries using iodine and generating iodine waste streams:
- Pharmaceutical
- Biocides and Pesticides
- LED and Optical Polarizing Films
- Salts
- Human and Animal Nutrition
- Specialty Chemicals
Who is IOCHEM?
IOCHEM Corporation is the largest producer of medical-grade iodine in North America. With over 30 years of production experience, we are dedicated to producing the highest quality prill, flake, resublimed, and recycled iodine on the market.
Our unique, continuous production process is coupled with precision quality control and lot traceability, allowing us to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. Our iodine products are used in a wide variety of fields, from large pharmaceuticals producing angiogram contrast dye, to disinfectants for food production.
Iochem Corporation processes iodine-rich brine found deep underground in northwestern Oklahoma, USA to produce high-purity crude iodine.