Recovery of Gold from Chloride Solution by TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofiber Adsorbent

Shila Jafari, Benjamin P. Wilson, Minna Hakalahti, Tekla Tammelin, Eero Kontturi, Mari Lundström and Mika Sillanpää
Additional contact information
Shila Jafari: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Benjamin P. Wilson: Laboratory of Hydrometallurgy and Corrosion, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (CMET), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
Minna Hakalahti: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Tekla Tammelin: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Eero Kontturi: Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems (BIO2), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
Mari Lundström: Laboratory of Hydrometallurgy and Corrosion, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (CMET), Aalto University, P.O. Box 16200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
Mika Sillanpää: Department of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, FI-50130 Mikkeli, Finland

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: The goal of this study was to assess the sustainability of a modified cellulose nanofiber material for the recovery of precious gold from chloride solution, with a special focus on gold recovery from acidic solutions generated by cupric and ferric chloride leaching processes. TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber in hydrogel (TOCN), dry (H-TOCN, F-TOCN) and sheet form (S-TOCN) was examined for gold adsorptivity from chloride solution. Additionally, this work describes the optimum conditions and parameters for gold recovery. The data obtained in this investigation are also modeled using kinetic (pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order), isotherm best fit (Freundlich, Langmuir and Langmuir-Freundlich), and thermodynamic (endothermic process) parameters. Results demonstrate that high levels of gold removal can be achieved with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (98% by H-TOCNF) and the interaction characteristics of H-TOCN with gold suggests that other precious metals could also be efficiently recovered.

Keywords: gold chlorides; TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber; adsorption; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1406-:d:211636

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