Abstract

RESTREPO, OSCAR JAIME; MONTOYA, CARLOS ARTURO  and  MUNOZ, NURY ALEXANDRA. MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF CYANIDE FROM GOLD METALLURGICAL PLANTS UTILIZING P.fluorecens. Dyna rev.fac.nac.minas [online]. 2006, vol.73, n.149, pp.45-51. ISSN 0012-7353.

Sodium cyanide is traditionally used in chemical metallurgy to obtain preciousus metals (gold and silver). Cyanide produces damages because of its toxicity and breath cell inhibition. Here we try a biotechnological process to degrade cyanide with P. fluorescens obtained by cyanide heap leaching process in gold metallurgy in Segovia, Colombia. In Colombia cyanide heap leaching process in gold metallurgy is not controlled and cyanide is used excessively. It means that great quantities of sodium cyanide are lost in sands and in waste water. Toxicity tests made by D. pulex show less than 54 ppm of cyanide is enough to kill them. Traditional treatments to cyanide degradation are useful and normal but they are expensive. Microbiological process eliminates cyanide successfully and cheap.

Keywords : Biotechnology; Cyanidation; P. fluorescens; Biodegradation.

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