K.J.Ives Professor of Public Health Engineering University College
London Industrial application of the use of bubbles to float fine
particles in water began before the beginning of this century, in the
field of mineral processing. Such bubble flotation was applied very
little outside mineral processing, until about 1960 when the dissolved
air process, which has already had some success in the pulp and paper
industry, was applied to water and wastewater treatment. The subsequent
two decades saw not only a growth development for water and wastewater
treatment, but also a growing cognisance of the similarities that
existed with mineral processing flotation. Therefore the time seemed
ripe in 1982 for a joint meeting between experts in these two major
fields of flotation to put together the Scientific Basis of Flotation in
the form of a NATO Advanced Study Institute. Attended by about 60
specialists, mainly post doctoral, from 17 countries, this Study
Institute in residence for two weeks in Christ's College, Cambridge (UK)
heard presentations from several international experts, principally the
8 co-authors of this book. The integration of the various scientific
disciplines of physics, physical chemistry, colloid science,
hydrodynamics and process engineering showed where the common basiS, and
occasional important differences, of flotation could be applied to
mineral processing, water and wastewater treatment, and indeed some
other process industries (for example: pharmaceuticals, and food
manufacture).
