REMOVAL OF CADMIUM AND ASSOCIATED CONTAMINANTS FROM AQUEOUS WASTES BY FIBROUS CARBON ELECTRODES

The electrochemical treatment of aqueous wastes containing 1-20 ppm cadmium, nickel and cyanide was investigated. Graphite felt electrodes were used in flow-by and flow-through type electrochemical cells. The conditions for the simultaneous removal of cadmium and nickel and cadmium and cyanide down to the ppb concentration level were determined. Cell performances were discussed in terms of normalized space velocity. Generally, it was found that the flow-by cell yield is much larger than that of the flow-through cell. However, as the flow velocity decreases, the yields of the two cell types become similar.