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. 2019 Oct 17;16(20):3957.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16203957.

Copper Analysis by Two Different Procedures of Sequential Extraction after Electrodialytic Remediation of Mine Tailings

Andrea Lazo  1 , Pamela Lazo  2 , Alejandra Urtubia  3   4   5 , María Gabriela Lobos  6 , Claudia Gutiérrez  7 , Henrik K Hansen  8
Affiliations

Copper Analysis by Two Different Procedures of Sequential Extraction after Electrodialytic Remediation of Mine Tailings

Andrea Lazo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The analysis of Cu distribution in pre-treated mine tailings after electrodialytic remediation was carried out by using two methods of sequential extraction. The initial content of copper in the tailings was 1109 mg Cu/kg of dry tailing, where close to 40% of the sample in weight corresponded to a soluble fraction. The tailing was treated with a leaching solution for 24 h. Three different solutions were tested: H2SO4 + HNO3 with pH = 1.9; H2SO4 + HNO3 with pH = 4.2; and NH4Cl 0.8 mol/L with pH = 5.5. After that, electrodialytic remediation experiments were carried out using an electric field of 2.7 V/cm for 15 days. The best performance for the complete cell was obtained with H2SO4 + HNO3 solutions, with a copper removal efficiency in the range of 62% to 67% and a current efficiency between 6% and 9%. The results of the remaining copper concentration between anode and cathode, from both procedures of sequential extraction, showed similar trends. The differences were mainly attributed to the use of different extractant solutions and extraction times. Soluble and exchangeable fractions were easily removed, with efficiencies higher than 80%. The lowest copper removal efficiency was obtained with NH4Cl 0.8 mol/L.

Keywords: copper; electrodialytic remediation; fractions; leaching; sequential extraction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
C/C0 ratio of copper concentration for slices closest to anode and closest to cathode for different pre-treatment solutions after electrodialytic remediation. Analysis of the six-fraction procedure, where the fractions are: (a) water soluble fraction, (b) exchangeable fraction, (c) extractable fraction at pH = 5, (d) Fe-Mn oxides bound fraction, (e) sulfide fraction and (f) residual fraction.
Figure 1
Figure 1
C/C0 ratio of copper concentration for slices closest to anode and closest to cathode for different pre-treatment solutions after electrodialytic remediation. Analysis of the six-fraction procedure, where the fractions are: (a) water soluble fraction, (b) exchangeable fraction, (c) extractable fraction at pH = 5, (d) Fe-Mn oxides bound fraction, (e) sulfide fraction and (f) residual fraction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
C/C0 ratio of copper concentration for slices closest to anode and closest to cathode for different pre-treatment solutions after electrodialytic remediation. Analysis of the seven-fraction procedure, where the fractions are: (a) water soluble fraction, (b) exchangeable fraction, (c) Fe-hydroxides fraction, (d) Fe-oxides fraction, (e) secondary sulfides fraction, (f) primary sulfides fraction and (g) residual fraction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
C/C0 ratio of copper concentration for slices closest to anode and closest to cathode for different pre-treatment solutions after electrodialytic remediation. Analysis of the seven-fraction procedure, where the fractions are: (a) water soluble fraction, (b) exchangeable fraction, (c) Fe-hydroxides fraction, (d) Fe-oxides fraction, (e) secondary sulfides fraction, (f) primary sulfides fraction and (g) residual fraction.
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