INHIBITION OF NICKEL PRECIPITATION BY GLUCONATE - II - KINETIC MODELING

Gluconate has been shown to inhibit nickel precipitation. This can res ult in adverse system performance when treating nickel plating wastewa ter. A kinetic model based on the formation of major species was devel oped to simulate nickel precipitation in the absence and presence of g luconate. The model was calibrated and verified against batch kinetic experimental results. The model simulated the studied nickel-gluconate systems well. However. no universal mechanisms could be adopted to ex plain all of the phenomena observed in the kinetic study, indicating d ifferent controlling mechanisms in each system. The results of this st udy can be used to evaluate optimum conditions for nickel precipitatio n and to aid in the design of treatment processes enhancing the optimi zation of nickel recovery from metal finishing wastewaters.