Article

 

Cyanide Degradation by Direct and Indirect Electrochemical Oxidation in Electro–active Support Electrolyte Aqueous Solutions

 

Rosa María Felix–Navarro,¹* Shui Wai Lin,¹ Virginia Violante–Delgadillo,¹ Arturo Zizumbo–Lopez¹ and Sergio Perez–Sicairos^1,2

 

¹ Centro de Graduados e Investigación en Química, Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Blvd. Industrial S/N, Mesa de Otay, C.P. 22500, Tijuana, Baja California, México.

² Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas de la Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Blvd. Las Américas y Av. Universitarios, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 80010, Culiacán, Sinaloa.

 

Received June 14, 2010.
Accepted December 10, 2010.

 

Abstract

The cyanide degradation was performed in an electrochemical reactor (with anode of reticulated vitreous carbon and cathodes of graphite) with three compartments separated by a polymeric membrane. The experiments were made under different conditions; supporting electrolytic media (NaOH, NaCl, NaNO₃ and Na₂SO₄), applied potentials (3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 V) and volumetric flows of 130, 240, 480, 1058 and 1610 mL/min with recirculation. The best conditions for the cyanide degradation are: NaCl (0.1 M) as supporting electrolyte, applied cell potential of 5.0 V and volumetric flow of 480 mL/min. Under these conditions almost 100% of cyanide degradation was achieved.

Keywords: cyanide, electrochemical reactor, electrolyte, reticulated vitreous carbon, polymeric membrane.

 

Resumen

La degradación de cianuro se realizó en un reactor electroquímico (con ánodo de carbono vítreo reticulado y cátodos de grafito), con tres compartimentos separados por una membrana polimérica. Los experimentos se realizaron en condiciones diferentes; medios electrolíticos (NaOH, NaCl, Na₂SO₄ y NaNO₃), potenciales aplicados (3.0, 4.0, 5.0 y 6.0 V) y el flujo volumétrico de 130, 240, 480, 1058 y 1610 ml / min con recirculación. Las mejores condiciones para la degradación del cianuro son: electrolito de soporte NaCl (0.1 M), potencial de celda aplicado 5.0 V y un flujo volumétrico de 480 mL / min. Bajo estas condiciones se logró una degradación de cianuro cercano al 100%.

Palabras clave: cianuro, reactor electroquímico, electrolito, carbón vítreo reticulado, membrana polimérica.

 

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT # 47959) for their financial support to this project.

 

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