Recovery of copper (II) and chromium (III,VI) from electroplating-industry wastewater by ion exchange

Abstract

Two laboratory-scale separation processes have been developed for the recovery of copper (II) from acidic and cyanide-containing alkaline wastewater of electroplating industries. Acidic bath wastes were treated with Dowex 50X8, a strongly acidic cation-exchange resin, and the retained copper was eluted with H2SO4. The cyanide-containing alkaline bath waste was first oxidized with excessive hypochlorite, then neutralized, and recovered by the use of Amberlite IRC-718 chelating resin. Copper was eluted with H2SO4.