Electrochemical behavior of pyrite in sulfuric acid in presence of amino acids belonging to the amino acid sequence of rusticyanin

Abstract

The impact of different concentrations of three amino acids (cysteine, histidine and methionine) which are part of the amino acid sequence of rusticyanin on dissolution of pyrite is investigated by the application of electrochemical techniques. Cyclic voltammetric studies conducted in the anodic direction from corrosion potential have shown that in the vicinity of corrosion potential, histidine and methionine do not influence dissolution of pyrite independently on their concentrations. On the other hand, cysteine and solutions of these amino acids in the molar ratios Cys:His:Met/1:1:1 and Cys:His:Met/1:2:1 accelerate dissolution at concentrations 10−2 mol L−1 and 10−3 mol L−1. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed that methionine does not affect the anodic and cathodic dissolution at all concentrations, while histidine does not affect significantly on the anodic dissolution at all concentrations. Cysteine and solutions of three amino acids in the molar ratio Cys:His:Met/1:1:1 and Cys:His:Met/1:2:1 cause intensive cathodic inhibition and anodic activation at concentrations 10−2 mol L−1 and 10−3 mol L−1 respectively.