Fundamental features of copper ion precipitation using sulfide as a precipitant in a wastewater system

We have investigated the precipitation features of copper ion using sulfide as a precipitant by varying the mole ratio of sulfide to copper ion, pH, temperature and the kind and concentration of complexing agent. In the precipitation of copper ion by sulfide, sludge is produced as cupric sulfide; thus, there is a possibility for its recycled use in photochemical and ceramic processes. When the ratio of the concentration of copper ion to sulfide was increased to more than 1.0, the extent of precipitation was very high. As the ratio was increased, nucleation time was decreased and crystal growth rate was raised. The higher the pH, the greater the amount of precipitated copper ion due to lowered solubility of cupric sulfide. When temperature changed from 25°C to 55°C, the precipitation of copper ion was increased a little. On the basis of estimated thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy and enthalpy, the precipitation reaction was spontaneous and endothermic. The precipitation of copper ion was lowered in the presence of complexing agent and it was affected by the stability of the copper complex. The feasibility test for the application of precipitation treatment to actual wastewater containing copper ion showed, although there was a little decrease in the removal of copper, the precipitation extent of copper was higher than 90% compared with that for artificial wastewater.