ADSORPTION AND CATALYTIC PROCESSES OF CYANIDE SOLUTIONS AND ACID-WASHED ACTIVATED CARBON

The adsorption and oxidation of cyanide solutions on activated carbon have been investigated to examine whether or not this process involves chemisorption and catalysis of copper compound on the oxidation of cy anide. The effects of metal ions, dissolved oxygen, and the pH of cyan ide solution on the treatment capacity of activated carbon were tested . Thermodynamic experiments and kinetic experiments were also conducte d to calculate the heat of adsorption and the activated energy of adso rption. The mechanism is proposed for the adsorption and catalytic oxi dation of cyanide on activated carbon. This mechanism is characterized by the chemisorption resulting from the interaction between complex i ons and the surface groups of activated carbon, and the catalytic oxid ation of cyanide by adsorbed oxygen with copper compounds adsorbed on carbon surface as the catalyst).