Solar irradiation prospects in cyanide-bearing wastewater decontamination

Cyanide-bearing wastewater of mines often contains oxidation-resistant thiocyanates which prevent water purification. It is required to develop methods to minimize entry of thiocyanates to the environments due to their acute and chronic toxicity for aquatic biota, and also because of their ability to impede synthesis of thyroid hormones in higher organisms. The promising nature of the combination method for removal of thiocyanates from mine wastewater is demonstrated. The method consists in photochemical oxidation of pollutants in a Fentonlike system {Solar+S O 2–+Fe3+}, with natural sunlight as a source of radiation. Addition of ions Fe3+ increases constants of oxidation rate of thiocyanates by 20 times and results in their total destruction. It is found that variation in concentration of the oxidant and the increased exposure duration enables oxidation of thiocyanates down to a lesser number of toxic compounds. It is experimentally proved that photochemical oxidation of thiocyanates follows the joint ion–radical mechanism via formation of intermediate iron-bearing complexes which act as photosensitizers and initiate generation of in-situ active oxygen species, mainly sulfate anion-radicals.

Batoeva A. A., Sizykh M. R., Munkoeva V. A., Tsybikova B. A. Solar irradiation prospects in cyanide-bearing wastewater decontamination. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(7):53-69. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_7_0_53.

The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and by the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, Joint Project No. 18-48-030005, and by the Baikal Institute of Nature Management, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Project No. 0273-2021-0006.

A.A. Batoeva¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Head of Laboratory, e-mail: abat@binm.ru,
M.R. Sizykh¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: marisyz@binm.ru,
V.A. Munkoeva¹, Engineer, e-mail: munkoeva95@mail.ru,
B.A. Tsybikova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Researcher, e-mail: belegmats@mail.ru,
¹ Baikal Institute of Nature Management, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 670047, Ulan-Ude, Russia.

A.A. Batoeva, e-mail: abat@binm.ru

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