Electrophoretic analysis of cyanide depletion by Pseudomonas alcaligenes

Determination of cyanide in microliter samples by capillary electrophoresis and in-capillary enzymatic reaction with rhodanese

This paper describes a method for the determination of cyanide using in-capillary enzymatic reaction with rhodanese. Poorly absorbing cyanide is in rhodanese reaction transformed into highly absorbing thiocyanate that is further separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and determined spectrophotometrically at 200 nm. Cyanide is thus estimated indirectly from the result of thiocyanate quantification and moreover, it can be easily determined with sufficient sensitivity by means of CE apparatus equipped with common UV detector. The linear detection range for concentration versus peak area for the assay is from 15 to 500 microM (correlation coefficient 0.997) with a detection limit of 3 microM and a limit of quantitation 9 microM. The inter-day reproducibility of the peak area was below 3.2% and the inter-day reproducibility of the migration time below 0.1%. The method is relatively rapid, simple and can be easily automated. Moreover, only limited amount of the sample is required.

Cyanide hazards to plants and animals from gold mining and related water issues

Cyanide extraction of gold through milling of high-grade ores and heap leaching of low-grade ores requires cycling of millions of liters of alkaline water containing high concentrations of potentially toxic sodium cyanide (NaCN), free cyanide, and metal-cyanide complexes. Some milling operations result in tailings ponds of 150 ha and larger. Heap leach operations that spray or drip cyanide onto the flattened top of the ore heap require solution processing ponds of about 1 ha in surface area. Puddles of various sizes may occur on the top of heaps, where the highest concentrations of NaCN are found. Solution recovery channels are usually constructed at the base of leach heaps, some of which may be exposed. All these cyanide-containing water bodies are hazardous to wildlife, especially migratory waterfowl and bats, if not properly managed. Accidental spills of cyanide solutions into rivers and streams have produced massive kills of fish and other aquatic biota. Freshwater fish are the most cyanide-sensitive group of aquatic organisms tested, with high mortality documented at free cyanide concentrations >20 microg/L and adverse effects on swimming and reproduction at >5 microg/L. Exclusion from cyanide solutions or reductions of cyanide concentrations to nontoxic levels are the only certain methods of protecting terrestrial vertebrate wildlife from cyanide poisoning; a variety of exclusion/cyanide reduction techniques are presented and discussed. Additional research is recommended on (1) effects of low-level, long-term, cyanide intoxication in birds and mammals by oral and inhalation routes in the vicinity of high cyanide concentrations; (2) long-term effects of low concentrations of cyanide on aquatic biota; (3) adaptive resistance to cyanide; and (4) usefulness of various biochemical indicators of cyanide poisoning. To prevent flooding in mine open pits, and to enable earth moving on a large scale, it is often necessary to withdraw groundwater and use it for irrigation, discharge it to rapid infiltration basins, or, in some cases, discharge it to surface waters. Surface waters are diverted around surface mining operations. Adverse effects of groundwater drawdown include formation of sinkholes within 5 km of groundwater drawdown; reduced stream flows with reduced quantities of wate available for irrigation, stock watering, and domestic, mining and milling, and municipal uses; reduction or loss of vegetation cover for wildlife, with reduced carrying capacity for terrestrial wildlife; loss of aquatic habitat for native fishes and their prey; and disruption of Native American cultural traditions. Surface discharge of excess mine dewatering water and other waters to main waterways may contain excess quantities of arsenic, total dissolved solids, boron, copper, fluoride, and zinc. When mining operations cease, and the water pumps are dismantled, these large open pits may slowly fill with water, forming lakes. The water quality of pit lakes may present a variety of pressing environmental problems.

Factors affecting the biodegradation of cyanide by Burkholderia cepacia strain C-3

The utilization of cyanide as a nitrogen source for growth in a liquid minimal medium by Burkholderia cepacia strain C-3 isolated from soil was demonstrated. The effects of various parameters on the biodegradation of cyanide by the strain were investigated. Growth at the expense of cyanide occurred over a pH range from 8 to 10, and was optimal at pH 10. Growth and cyanide biodegradation were optimal at 30 degrees C. The presence of Cu2+ or Fe2+ in the liquid medium at a concentration of 1 mM inhibited both the growth of the bacterium and its cyanide degradation. The effects of Ni2+ and Co2+, and to a lesser extent Mn2+ and Mo2+, on cyanide degradation rate were concentration dependent. Addition of the cyanide-containing waste contaminants ethanol and methanol reduced the cyanide utilization of the isolate, but phenol was completely inhibitory. Microbial depletion of cyanide occurred even in the presence of other organic and inorganic nitrogen sources. Fructose, glucose, and mannose were the preferred carbon sources for cyanide biodegradation. The highest rate of cyanide degradation by B. cepacia C-3, 1.85 mg CN h(-1), was observed with 0.25% (w/v) fructose; the degradation rate decreased progressively thereafter with increasing fructose concentration.

Capillary electrophoresis of inorganic anions

This review deals with the separation mechanisms applied to the separation of inorganic anions by capillary electrophoresis (CE) techniques. It covers various CE techniques that are suitable for the separation and/or determination of inorganic anions in various matrices, including capillary zone electrophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography, electrochromatography and capillary isotachophoresis. Detection and sample preparation techniques used in CE separations are also reviewed. An extensive part of this review deals with applications of CE techniques in various fields (environmental, food and plant materials, biological and biomedical, technical materials and industrial processes). Attention is paid to speciations of anions of arsenic, selenium, chromium, phosphorus, sulfur and halogen elements by CE.