In this paper, the nature of the species formed in theelectrochemical interactions between a polycrystalline platinum surface and cyanide and copper−cyanide species in alkaline solution (pH 13) has been investigated by combining cyclic voltammetry with in situ FTIR spectroscopy. This study was performed because electrochemical reactors for the treatment of cyanide-containing industrial wastewaters have been shown to achieve viable destruction rates when copper ions are present in the alkaline solution through the formation of copper oxide films [Palmer, S. A. K.; Breton, M. A.; Nunno, T. J.; Sullivan, D. M.; Surprenant, N. F.Metal/Cyanide Containing Wastes; Noyes Data Corp.: Park Ridge, New Jersey, 1988. Monteagudo, J. M.; Rodríguez, L.; Villaseñor, J.Advanced oxidation processes for destruction of cyanide from thermoelectric power station waste waters. J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 2004, 79, 117−125. Sax, N. I., Ed.Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 5th ed.; Van Nostrand-Reinhold: New York, 1979; p 526]. It has been found that the complexation of cyanide ions by copper species hinders the adsorption of the anion at the electrode, thus avoiding the characteristic electrode poisoning by CO that occurs in the absence of soluble copper species. Conversely, soluble copper−cyanide complexes can be electrooxidized at the platinum surface through the formation of cyanate species as an intermediate, and of HCOO− and NO as end products. The addition of copper species to the electrolyte also facilitates this route for cyanide oxidation to occur at higher rates without poisoning the platinum electrode.
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