Electroreduction of nitrate ions in concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions at lead, zinc, nickel, and phthalocyanine-modified electrodes

Technical Report · Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/665993· OSTI ID:665993

Li, H ^[1]; Chambers, J Q ^[2]; Hobbs, D T ^[3]

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1. Lanzhou Univ., Ganzu (China). Dept. of Chemistry
2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
3. E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Lab.

The electrochemical reduction of nitrate in strongly alkaline solution has been studied using nickel, lead, zinc, and iron cathodes. Intermediate formation of nitrate ion and ammonia product was observed for all electrode materials. Coating a nickel sponge electrode with phthalocyanine renders it less active toward nitrate reduction, while iron electrodes appear to be activated. Electrolysis between a lead cathode and a nickel anode is an efficient means of removing nitrate from strongly alkaline solutions. Electrode pretreatment and solution conditions were chosen to correspond to those that might be encountered in practical applications, for example, the cleanup of radioactive waste solutions.

• Research Organization: E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035; AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 665993
• Report Number(s): DP-MS-87-149; ON: DE98007471; TRN: AHC29819%%148
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: [1987]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
05 NUCLEAR FUELS
NITRATES
ELECTROLYSIS
REDUCTION
CATHODES
PERFORMANCE
NITRITES
AMMONIA
PHTHALOCYANINES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA