An electrogenerative process for the recovery of gold from cyanide solutions

Traditional methods for the recovery of gold from electronic scrap by hydrometallurgy were cyanidation followed by adsorption on activated carbon or cementation onto zinc dust and by electrowinning. In our studies, a static batch electrochemical reactor operating in an electrogenerative mode was used in gold recovery from cyanide solutions. A spontaneous chemical reaction will take place in the reactor and generate an external flow of current. In this present work, a static batch cell with an improved design using three-dimensional cathodes namely porous graphite and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) and two-dimensional cathode materials, copper and stainless steel plates were coupled with a zinc anode. The electrogenerative system was demonstrated and the performance of the system using various cathode materials for gold recovery was evaluated. The system resulted in more than 90% gold being recovered within 3h of operation. Activated RVC serves as a superior cathode material having the highest recovery rate with more than 99% of gold being recovered in 1h of operation. The morphology of gold deposits on various cathode materials was also investigated.     

活性艳蓝KN-R在ACF电极上成对电解脱色的影响因素

分别以活性炭纤维(ACF)为阳极和阴极,在无隔膜电解槽中研究了利用成对电解降解蒽醌染料活性艳蓝KN-R脱色过程的影响因素。考察了染料初始浓度、支持电解质Na₂SO₄、pH及温度诸条件对脱色性能的作用。结果表明：适当增加染料初始浓度和支持电解质浓度,酸性和中性条件以及适中的温度均对成对电解脱色性能有利。当染料初始浓度为251 mg/L,在合适的处理条件下,脱色率达到95%,脱除单位质量染料电耗仅为1.22 kWh/kg染料。     

Palladium-facilitated electrolytic dechlorination of 2-chlorobiphenyl using a granular-graphite electrode

Palladium-assisted electrocatalytic dechlorination of 2-chlorobiphenyl (2-Cl BP) in aqueous solutions was conducted in a membrane-separated electrochemical reactor with granular-graphite packed electrodes. The dechlorination took place at a granular-graphite cathode while Pd was electro-deposited from the K2PdCl6 in the solution and at a Pd-deposited granular-graphite electrode. Using the Pd-deposited graphite cathode in the membrane reactor for a sequence of experiments, each was conducted under a lower current than in the previous one, and the rate of dechlorination became slower in each consecutive experiment. At the end of this sequence, a duplicate experiment showed a loss of activity of the Pd-deposited granular-graphite cathode. In the experiments of dechlorination while Pd was deposited at the granular-graphite electrode, the rate of dechlorination increased with increases of the initial K2PdCl6 concentration and of the applied cathode potential. In each experiment, the dechlorination of 2-Cl BP was relatively fast at the beginning, as demonstrated in an experiment in which 66.4% of 2-Cl BP was dechlorinated within 4h, but the rate of dechlorination decreased over the time. This decrease can be described with two stages of exponential decrease. The values of the rate constant in the first stage varies with the applied potential and the initial K2PdCl6 concentration, but the values of the rate constant in the second stage do not show any dependence on the potential and the K2PdCl6 concentration. The current efficiency of dechlorination was improved by applying part-time current to the electrodes.     

Influences of pH and current on electrolytic dechlorination of trichloroethylene at a granular-graphite packed electrode

Electrolytic dechlorination using a granular-graphite packed cathode is an alternative method for the remediation of chlorinated organic compounds. Its effectiveness under various conditions needs experimental investigation. Dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE) was conducted under various conditions in an electrolytic reactor with a platinum-gauze anode and a granular-graphite packed cathode. The higher the applied current, the more TCE was eliminated and more hydrogen and oxygen gasses were generated. Current efficiency decreased with a decrease in TCE concentration during each dechlorination experiment. But, the current efficiency concentration coefficient (CECC), which was defined as current efficiency divided by concentration, was a better indicator of current efficiency. The CECC was not significantly affected by current, but it varied with pH value. The pH effects were results of the involvement of electrolytes in the proton reduction and the electron transfer at the cathode. A lower pH value favored TCE dechlorination in potassium chloride, which is an electrolyte that was not involved in cathode reactions with protons and electrons. In ammonium acetate and potassium nitrate, which involve proton reduction and/or electron transfer, the pH value affected TCE dechlorination through proton limitation and electron competition.     

铁阳极电凝聚处理活性黑KN-B染料废水

对铁阳极电凝聚处理活性黑KN-B染料废水过程进行了实验研究.考察了电流密度、染料溶液初始pH值、电介质浓度及种类、温度、染料浓度等因素对脱色效率的影响.结果表明,在一定实验条件下,活性黑KN-B模拟废水的脱色效率达93%;电流强度、染料浓度、电解液初始pH值及电解质的种类对染料溶液脱色效率影响显著,电解液温度、电解质的浓度对脱色效率的影响不明显;以铁为阳极的原位电凝聚处理活性黑KN-B模拟废水混凝过程中主要作用机理以吸附电性中和为主;电凝聚过程中活性黑KN-B在阴极上发生了还原反应.     

TiO2镀膜电极光电催化降解酸性紫红

采用溶胶-凝胶法在钛片上涂覆TiO2薄膜为电极,自行设计组装光电催化反应器,对酸性紫红染料废水进行光电脱色处理,探讨了光电反应的协同性并研究了初始染料浓度、电压、pH和电解质浓度对脱色反应的影响。结果表明,光化学催化和电化学氧化具有协同效应,单一紫外光催化和单一电催化酸性紫红的脱色率分别为44.27%和13.12%,而光电催化(紫外、外加电压10 V)的脱色率达到77.18%。初始浓度较低、电压适中、pH偏碱性时,酸性紫红废水脱色率较高;电解质对脱色反应有促进作用,且浓度越高,酸性紫红脱色率越高。     

Electrochemical combustion of herbicide mecoprop in aqueous medium using a flow reactor with a boron-doped diamond anode

The anodic oxidation of 1.8l of solutions with mecoprop (2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)-propionic acid or MCPP) up to 0.64 g l(-1) in Na2SO4 as background electrolyte within the pH range 2.0-12.0 has been studied using a flow plant containing a one-compartment filter-press electrolytic reactor with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and a stainless steel cathode, both of 20-cm2 area. Electrolyses carried out in batch under steady conditions and operating at constant current density between 50 and 150 mA cm(-2) always yield complete mineralization due to the great concentration of hydroxyl radical generated at the BDD anode. The degradation rate is practically independent of pH and Na2SO4 concentration, but it becomes faster with increasing MCPP concentration, current density, temperature and liquid flow rate. The effect of these parameters on current efficiency and energy cost has also been investigated. Generated weak oxidants such as H2O2 and peroxodisulfate ion have little influence on the mineralization process. The kinetics for the herbicide decay follows a pseudo first-order reaction with a higher rate constant when current density increases. Aromatic products such as 4-chloro-o-cresol, 2-methylhydroquinone and 2-methyl-p-benzoquinone, and generated carboxylic acids such as maleic, fumaric, lactic, pyruvic, tartronic, acetic and oxalic, have been identified as intermediates by chromatographic techniques. The initial chlorine is completely released in the form of chloride ion, which is slowly oxidized to Cl2 at the BDD anode. A reaction pathway for MCPP mineralization involving all products detected is proposed.     

Degradation of trichloroethylene by photocatalysis in an internally circulating slurry bubble column reactor

The effects of initial trichloroethylene (TCE) concentration, recirculating liquid flow rate and gas velocity on photodegradation of TCE have been determined in an internally circulating slurry bubble column reactor (0.15m-ID x 0.85 m-high). Titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder was employed as a photocatalyst and the optimum loading of TiO2 in the present system is found to be approximately 0.2 wt%. The stripping fraction of TCE by air flow increases but photodegradation fraction of TCE decreases with increasing the initial TCE concentration, recirculating liquid flow rate and gas velocity. The average removal efficiency of TCE is found to be approximately 97% in an internally circulating slurry bubble column reactor.     

碳纳米管电极原位产生过氧化氢及其对亚甲基蓝脱色效果简

将碳纳米管固定化制成多孔疏水性导电薄膜构建电化学阴极还原体系,实现过氧化氢在阴极的原位产生。电极特性研究表明,电极在较宽的电压范围内均具有较好的活性。考察了阴极电位、电极成分、氧气流量和电解质浓度对过氧化氢原位产生的影响,在优化条件下经过120 min后过氧化氢达到66.17 mg/L,并探讨过氧化氢原位产生的机理。在此基础上考察原位过氧化氢氧化工艺下对亚甲基蓝的脱色效果,并分析其脱色机理。     

介质阻挡放电氧化降解木质素磺酸钠的动力学研究

为了有效地处理难生物降解的造纸废水,采用气相介质阻挡放电产生氧化性物质,对木质素磺酸钠进行了氧化降解研究。在不同操作条件下,对其降解动力学及矿化程度进行了研究。结果表明,介质阻挡放电能有效地降解木质素磺酸钠,其氧化降解反应遵循准一级动力学反应。当峰值电压为20 kV,被水蒸气饱和的空气为气源,流量为7 L/min时,氧化处理60 min后,木质素磺酸钠降解率达到70％。其速率常数K随峰值电压、气源、气体流量和木质素磺酸钠的初始浓度的变化而不同。气体流量越大,木质素磺酸钠的初始浓度越低,速率常数K越大,降解效果越好。随着处理时间的增加,氧化性物质能将部分木质素磺酸钠矿化使溶液TOC降低,当被水蒸气饱和的空气作为气源时,氧化处理120min,21.38%的TOC被去除。     

活性黑KN-B染料模拟废水电化学脱色

为进一步明确活性染料在可溶性阳极电化学体系中的脱色机理,以铝为牺牲阳极,不锈钢为阴极,在恒电流操作模式下,针对活性黑KN-B模拟废水,考察了电流密度、初始pH值、电解质种类及浓度、温度、染料浓度因素对染料脱色过程的影响。结果表明：(1)电流密度、电解液初始pH值、氯化钠电解质浓度、温度、染料浓度对染料溶液脱色效率影响显著,在一定实验条件下,染料溶液脱色率可达到88%;(2) 在不同pH的范围内,活性黑KN-B表现的脱色机理不同,pH 4～9为混凝与阴极还原脱色共同作用;pH＜4和＞9则表现为阴极还原脱色为主; (3) 氯化钠的加入在增强染料脱色的同时,也有助于芳环类物质的后续混凝去除。     

Degradation of tetracycline at a boron-doped diamond anode: influence of initial pH,applied current intensity and electrolyte

The anodic oxidation of tetracycline was performed in an up-flow reactor, operating in batch mode with recirculation, using as anode a boron-doped diamond electrode. The influence on the degradation rate of solution initial pH (2 to 12), applied current intensity (25 to 300 A m^?2) and type of electrolyte (sodium sulphate or sodium chloride) were investigated. For the assays run at equal current density, with sodium sulphate as electrolyte, the solution’s initial pH of 2 presented the highest absorbance and chemical oxygen demand removals. Regarding the influence of current density, for equal charge passed, the organic load removal rate decreased with the increase in applied current. When sodium sulphate was used as an electrolyte, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results have shown an almost complete removal of tetracycline after a 2-h assay. HPLC results have also shown the presence of oxamic acid as one of the intermediates of tetracycline anodic oxidation. The complete removal of tetracycline was much faster in the presence of chloride ions that promoted the complete degradation of this antibiotic in 30 min. However, in the presence of chloride ions, the tetracycline mineralization is slower, as observed by the lower organic carbon removal rate when compared to that of the tetracycline degradation in the presence of sulphate.     

Electrochemical treatment of semi-aerobic landfill leachate using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

This research investigated the effectiveness of electrochemical treatment in treating semi-aerobic landfill leachate. The electrolytic reactor assembly included a pair of aluminium electrodes, a power supply and NaCl as electrolyte. The interactive effects of initial COD, current density and reaction time on treated leachate quality were studied. Regression equations were developed using design-expert software and results were analysed using response surface methodology. At optimum conditions (2000 mg/L initial COD, about 17 mA/cm² current density, 4 h reaction time and 1 g/l NaCl), SCOD removal, BOD removal and colour removal were estimated to be 82.2, 81.5 and 95%, respectively.     

电催化氧化处理除草剂异噁草酮废水的效能

为有效处理含异噁草酮除草剂废水,以Sb掺杂Ti／SnO2电极为阳极,不锈钢板为阴极,采用电催化氧化技术对异噁草酮废水进行降解,研究了不同影响因素对异噁草酮去除率的影响,并分析了异噁草酮的降解效果。结果表明,当异噁草酮初始浓度为100mg／L、电流密度为20mA／cm2、电解质投加量为0．10mol／L,反应120min后,异噁草酮去除率达到94％,此时TOC去除率为57．9％,能耗为25kWh／m2,且废水的可生化性能显著提高。     

Electrochemical removal of nitrate using ZVI packed bed bipolar electrolytic cell

The present study investigates the performance of the zero valent iron (ZVI, Fe⁰) packed bed bipolar electrolytic cell for nitrate removal. The packing mixture consists of ZVI as electronically conducting material and silica sand as non-conducting material between main cathode and anode electrodes. In the continuous column experiments for the simulated groundwater (initial nitrate and electrical conductivity of about 30 mg L⁻¹ as N and 300 μS cm⁻¹, respectively), above 99% of nitrate was removed at the applied potential of 600 V with the main anode placed on the bottom of reactor. The influx nitrate was converted to ammonia (20% to maximum 60%) and nitrite (always less than 0.5 mg L⁻¹ as N in the effluent). The optimum packing ratio (v/v) of silica sand to ZVI was found to be 1:1-2:1. Magnetite was observed on the surface of the used ZVI as corrosion product. The reduction at the lower part of the reactor in acidic condition and adsorption at the upper part of the reactor in alkaline condition are the major mechanism of nitrate removal.     

Assessment of the functionality of a pilot-scale reactor and its potential for electrochemical degradation of calmagite, a sulfonated azo-dye

Electrochemical degradation (ECD) is a promising technology for in situ remediation of diversely contaminated environmental matrices by application of a low level electric potential gradient. This investigation, prompted by successful bench-scale ECD of trichloroethylene, involved development, parametric characterization and evaluation of a pilot-scale electrochemical reactor for degradation of calmagite, a sulfonated azo-dye used as a model contaminant. The reactor has two chambers filled with granulated graphite for electrodes. The system has electrical potential, current, conductivity, pH, temperature, water-level and flow sensors for automated monitoring. The reactor supports outdoor and fail-safe venting, argon purging, temperature regulation and auto-shutdown for safety. Treatment involves recirculating the contaminated solution through the electrode beds at small flow velocities mimicking low fluid-flux in groundwater and submarine sediments. The first phase of the investigation involved testing of the reactor components, its parametric probes and the automated data acquisition system for performance as designed. The results showed hydraulic stability, consistent pH behavior, marginal temperature rise (<5 degrees C) and overall safe and predictable performance under diverse conditions. Near complete removal of calmagite was seen at 3-10V of applied voltage in 8-10h. The effects of voltage and strength of electrolyte on degradation kinetics have been presented. Further, it was observed from the absorption spectra that as calmagite degrades over time, new peaks appear. These peaks were associated with degradation products identified using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. A reaction mechanism for ECD of calmagite has also been proposed.     

Factors influencing silver recovery and power generation in bio-electrochemical reactors

The recovery of silver from Ag⁺ solution coupled with power generation was investigated in bio-electrochemical system (BES). In this system, chemical energy existing in the organic matter in the anode chamber can be converted biologically to electrical energy which can be used for the reduction of Ag⁺ ions in the cathode chamber. Results showed that type of substrate influenced the metabolic pathway and affected the cell voltage progression, and columbic efficiency. Silver recovery was not affected by increasing initial pH (2.0 to 7.0) and Ag⁺ concentration (100 to 1000 mg/L) in the catholyte, whereas power generation was improved. A maximum power density of 8258 mW/m³ and a columbic efficiency of 21.61% could be achieved with 1000 mg/L of Ag⁺. Ag⁺ ions were reduced to form metallic deposits as Ag⁰ crystals on the cathode surface, which were then confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) image and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum. The BES reactor had high silver removal (i.e., >96%) after 24 h of operation. When considering the crossover of Ag⁺ ions through the cation exchange membrane, the removal was in the range of 83.73–92.51%. This crossover was not considerable as compared to the Ag⁺ initial concentration. At higher initial Ag⁺ concentration (2000 mg/L), the silver removal decreased to 88.61% and the maximum power density decreased to 5396 mW/m³. This study clearly showed that BES can be employed for silver recovery, wastewater treatment, and also electricity generation.     

碳纳米管电极原位产生过氧化氢及其对亚甲基蓝脱色效果

将碳纳米管固定化制成多孔疏水性导电薄膜构建电化学阴极还原体系,实现过氧化氢在阴极的原位产生。电极特性研究表明,电极在较宽的电压范围内均具有较好的活性。考察了阴极电位、电极成分、氧气流量和电解质浓度对过氧化氢原位产生的影响,在优化条件下经过120min后过氧化氢达到66．17mg／L,并探讨过氧化氢原位产生的机理。在此基础上考察原位过氧化氢氧化工艺下对亚甲基蓝的脱色效果,并分析其脱色机理。     

电催化氧化处理除草剂异草酮废水的效能简

为有效处理含异草酮除草剂废水,以Sb掺杂Ti/SnO₂电极为阳极,不锈钢板为阴极,采用电催化氧化技术对异草酮废水进行降解,研究了不同影响因素对异草酮去除率的影响,并分析了异草酮的降解效果。结果表明,当异草酮初始浓度为100 mg/L、电流密度为20 mA/cm²、电解质投加量为0.10 mol/L,反应120 min后,异草酮去除率达到94%,此时TOC去除率为57.9%,能耗为25 kWh/m³,且废水的可生化性能显著提高。     

Photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange in a three-phase fluidized bed reactor

The photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange under weak illumination conditions was carried out in two different types of fluidized bed reactors. TiO2 powder was employed as the photocatalysts and a 15 W low pressure mercury lamp was used as the light source and the reactor volume was 2.5 l. The parametric study of photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange in two different types of fluidized beds was investigated; effect of catalyst loadings, pH, air flow rate, initial concentration and oxygen concentration on the oxidation reaction rate. The experimental results were analyzed in conjunction with the characteristics of fluidized bed and the reactor geometry effect on the reaction rate was analyzed.