skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Photolysis for cyanide and nitrate remediation of water

Conference ·
OSTI ID:78156
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Montana, Butte, MT (United States)

The remediation of cyanide (CN{sup {minus}}) and nitrate (NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}}) anions in mine and agricultural waters by various photolytic methods has been reviewed and investigated. Photolytic methods such as direct photolysis, homogeneous photolysis, and heterogeneous photocatalysis are briefly described and compared. Results and discussions show that each method has certain advantages and disadvantages. For each method, E{sub h}-pH diagrams prove useful for determining reaction mechanisms. Preliminary results obtained for cyanide oxidation and nitrate reduction show that homogeneous photolysis can be superior due to faster kinetics than the other methods. The photolytic methods were individually, not simultaneously, tested and compared. Differences in concentration of products were obtained and attributed to differences in photoconversion efficiencies and other inherent characteristics of the photolytic methods. Various reaction mechanisms are proposed in accordance with the literature as well as measurements obtained from solution analysis using ion selective electrodes and ion chromatography.

DOE Contract Number:
AC22-88ID12735
OSTI ID:
78156
Report Number(s):
CONF-950201-; ISBN 0-87339-279-5; TRN: IM9531%%207
Resource Relation:
Conference: Annual meeting and exhibition of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS), Las Vegas, NV (United States), 12-16 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Separation processes: Heavy metals, ions and minerals; Misra, M. [ed.] [Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)]; PB: 302 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English