Electroleaching: a Mobile Cleanup Process for Mercury Contaminated Materials
443
Fig. 1. El ectroleaching with in-suspension production o f leaching agent (EL-IS)
or, in the case of lower pH values, in
Cl2 + H2 0 <=> HelO + H I + CI
o
Both the free chlorine and the hypochlorite or the hypochlorous acid, respectively, act as oxidizing agents and are also chemically reactive on their own.
The success of this process will depend, to some extent, on how effective the
chlorine reaction is with the aqueous solution, generating the oxidizing agents
(HCIO and CIO-), which promote the mercury dissolution, according to the
following reaction:
Fig. 2. Electroleaching with inline production of leaching
agent (EL-I L)
leaching
+
CI'\
HOCI
preparation
443
Fig. 1. El ectroleaching with in-suspension production o f leaching agent (EL-IS)
or, in the case of lower pH values, in
Cl2 + H2 0 <=> HelO + H I + CI
o
Both the free chlorine and the hypochlorite or the hypochlorous acid, respectively, act as oxidizing agents and are also chemically reactive on their own.
The success of this process will depend, to some extent, on how effective the
chlorine reaction is with the aqueous solution, generating the oxidizing agents
(HCIO and CIO-), which promote the mercury dissolution, according to the
following reaction:
Fig. 2. Electroleaching with inline production of leaching
agent (EL-I L)
leaching
+
CI'\
HOCI
preparation