Indirect determination of cyanide compounds by ion chromatography with conductivity measurement

Abstract

Ion chromatography (IC) is a suitable analytical technique for the determination of anions. The cyanide is not detected by the conductivity detector of the ion chromatograph due to its low dissolution constant (pK = 9.2). This paper describes an IC procedure for the determination of free cyanide and metal cyanide complexes that uses a conductivity detector. It is based on the oxidation of cyanide ion by sodium hypochlorite to cyanate ion (pK = 3.66). Therefore, cyanide ion can now be measured indirectly by the conductivity detector. In this procedure, optimum operating conditions were examined. In addition, the interferences from anions and reducing agents were investigated. The method was applied to the determination of metal cyanide complexes. The coefficients of variation (%) for CN/sup -/ (1.05 mg/L), Zn(CN)/sub 4//sup 2 -/ (CN/sup -/, 0.80 mg/L), and Ni(CN)/sub 4//sup 2 -/ (CN/sup -/, 0.96 mg/L) were 1.1%, 1.5%, and 0.5%, respectively. The proposed method proved to be useful for the determination of cyanide compounds in natural water and waste water.