Silver discharge

In secondary wastewater treatment plants receiving silver thiosulfate complexes, microorganisms convert this complex predominately to silver sulfide and some metallic silver (see Wastes, INDUSTRIAL). These silver species are substantially removed from the treatment plant effluent at the settling step (47,48). Any silver entering municipal secondary treatment plants tends to bind quickly to sulfide ions present in the system and precipitate into the treatment plant sludge (49). Thus, silver discharged to secondary wastewater treatment plants or into natural waters is not present as the free silver ion but rather as a complexed or insoluble species. 

H. B. Lockhart, Jr., The Environmental Fate of Silver Discharged to the Environment by the Photographic Industry Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N. Y., 1980. 

About 2.47 million kg of silver are lost each year to the domestic biosphere, mostly (82%) as a result of human activities. As discussed later, the photography industry accounts for about 47% of all silver discharged into the environment from anthropogenic sources. In 1990, about 50% of the refined silver consumed domestically was used to manufacture photographic products 25% in electrical and electronic products 10% in electroplated ware, sterlingware, and jewelry 5% in brazing alloys and 10% in other products and processes. 

The cathode reaction involves reduction of silver oxide to metallic silver [7440-22-4J. The reaction is a two-phase, heterogeneous reaction producing a substantially constant voltage during discharge. Some manganese dioxide may be added to the cathode, as in the case of mercury oxide cells. 

Fig. 15. Relative discharge curves for (-) 2inc—silver oxide, and (—) 2inc—mercuric oxide batteries. Cells are of equal volume (21).

Fig. 17. Retention of discharge capacity of miniature 2inc—silver oxide batteries after storage at temperatures of A, 40°C B, 20°C and C, 0°C (21).

Fig. 18. Discharge curves for miniature 2inc—silver oxide batteries (-), and 2inc—manganese dioxide batteries (—) (21).

Cellophane or its derivatives have been used as the basic separator for the silver—ziac cell siace the 1940s (65,66). Cellophane is hydrated by the caustic electrolyte and expands to approximately three times its dry thickness iaside the cell exerting a small internal pressure ia the cell. This pressure restrains the ziac anode active material within the plate itself and renders the ziac less available for dissolution duriag discharge. The cellophane, however, is also the principal limitation to cell life. Oxidation of the cellophane ia the cell environment degrades the separator and within a relatively short time short circuits may occur ia the cell. In addition, chemical combination of dissolved silver species ia the electrolyte may form a conductive path through the cellophane. 

Fig. 12. Silver—2inc cell discharge curves at rates of A, 10 min B, 1 h and C, 10 h.

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