Removal and recovery of mercury from chloride solutions by contact deposition on iron felt

This paper deals with the use of iron felt as a reducing agent for the removal of mercury from aqueous dilute solutions containing chloride ions. The kinetic behavior of the mercuric ion reduction was analyzed and its diffusion coefficient was determined with the use of a rotating disk electrode. Experimental results of the removal of mercury from aqueous sodium chloride solutions containing 100 ppm mercury by contact with iron felt are reported. The mercury concentration was decreased to values lower than 0·1 ppm. The recovery of metallic mercury by chemical attack of the residual iron felt was also analyzed.