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Abstract
The present investigation focused on a comparative study for the removal of cyanide from separate solutions of sodium, zinc and iron cyanide compounds by three different processes such as; adsorption, biodegradation and simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation (SAB) processes. Adsorption studies were carried out on commercial granular activated carbon (GAC). Biodegradation and SAB studies were conducted with suspended and immobilized cultures of Pseudomonas putida, respectively. Effect of pH, temperature and agitation time on percentage removal of cyanide was measured at an initial cyanide concentration of 100 mg/L and it was found that these parameters significantly affect the three process performances. The SAB process was found to have better removal efficiency as compared to adsorption and biodegradation processes. SAB process could achieve more than 95% removal efficiency for cyanide concentrations up to 100 mg/L in sodium, zinc and iron cyanide solutions. Higher percentage of cyanide removal and specific uptake was achieved in case of zinc–cyanide complexes as compared to other cyanide complexes. Adsorption isotherms evaluated the uptake and degradation on cyanide in SAB process.