Membrane capacitive deionization for the treatment of sulfate, thiosulfate, and thiocyanate from gold mining process water
More details
Hide details
1
Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department Beytepe Ankara Turkey
Publication date: 2025-05-15
Corresponding author
Yasemin Ozturk
Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department Beytepe Ankara Turkey
Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process. 2025;61(3):205135
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the removal of sulfate, thiosulfate, and thiocyanate (SO42- , S2O32- and SCN-) by membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) process. An electrochemical cell was fabricated using an anion exchange membrane and a cation exchange membrane placed on a carbon paper electrode, which operated as the anode and cathode. Batch mode experiments were conducted by recirculating single salt solutions of SO42- , S2O32-, and SCN- to determine the maximum removal efficiency. The anode electrode removed 8600 mg SO42-, 9850 mg S2O32-, and 9350 mg SCN- per m2 of the electrode. Batch mode experiments were also performed in mixed salt solution containing 100 mg/L SO42-, S2O32-, and SCN- to observe the effect of co-ions on the removal efficiency. In the adsorption phase, salt removal efficiency percentages were determined to be 57% for SO42-, 57% for SCN-, and 88% for S2O32- at 1.2 V. In the desorption phase, the electrodes were regenerated by reversing the operating voltage to -5.0 V. The single-pass mode MCDI experiment showed that both S2O32-, and SCN- were removed with a total salt removal of 539.6 mg/m² and 510 mg/m², respectively, during the adsorption phase. In the desorption phase, the removal rates increased to 719 mg/m² for S2O32- and 643 mg/m² for SCN-, indicating the electro-oxidation of these ions.
18th International Mineral Processing Symposium (IMPS 2024)