Title: Cadmium removal from industrial effluents by cementation with zinc powder

Authors: Solange Sousa; Jorge Rodrigues De Carvalho; Maria Joana Neiva Correia

Addresses: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal. ' Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal. ' Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract: This work presents the study of the cementation with zinc of a cadmium containing effluent, as an alternative process to chemical precipitation. The effluent, which was produced in the regeneration cycle of the ion-exchange columns of a metal plating waste-water treatment plant, contains: [Cd(II)] = 3500 mg/L; [Cr(III)] = 1230 mg/L; [Cu(II)] = 4575 mg/L; [Fe(II)] = 985 mg/L; [Zn(II)] = 325 mg/L and a pH. To minimise the consumption of zinc it is convenient to carry out the cementation at pH ≥ 4 to obtain an effluent containing 1.5 mg/L of cadmium, 0.1 mg/L of chromium, 0.1 mg/L of copper, 0.3 mg/L of iron and 3850 mg/L of zinc.

Keywords: cadmium removal; industrial effluent; cementation; zinc powder; wastewater treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2012.046393

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2012 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.284 - 292

Published online: 13 Dec 2014 *

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