Selective elution of copper and iron cyanide complexes from ion exchange resins using saline solutions

Abstract

Numerous reagents for the elution of metal cyanide complexes from ion exchange resins have been proposed previously. However, a simple and cost-effective elution procedure has not been developed that is able to selectively strip metal cyanide complexes from the resin. The results of the current study show that highly saline solutions can be used to selectively elute copper cyanide and iron cyanide complexes from a variety of anion exchange resins containing different quaternary ammonium functional groups. It was found that for most resins an elution efficiency of greater than 80% copper and 99% iron was achieved within 12 bed volumes (BV) of a concentrated KCl or MgCl2 eluant containing 200 ..