Treatment of an effluent containing anionic oxidizable species, in particular a cyanide effluent, by chemical oxidation and electrolysis.

摘要

A method for destroying metal cyanide complexes in a cyanide-containing effluent having a variable composition, wherein the free anions are chemically oxidised (20) and the metals are reduced at the cathode by electrodeposition (60). The chemical oxidation and electrolysis steps can be carried out simultaneously or one after the other. A three-compartment membrane electrolysis device (62) comprising an anode, two cation exchange membranes and a cathode is also disclosed. The cation exchange membranes used are commercially available membranes having good strength properties and good selectivity in alkaline media. Moreover, they are mechanically supported by frames on a polymeric support, e.g. a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) support.