Xanthate is a widely used reagent in sulfide mineral flotation. A simple and reliable method is presented for the direct monitoring of xanthate in flotation baths and their effluents, as a tool for their reconditioning, and reducing their environmental impact. For this purpose, screen‐printed graphite electrodes (SPE) were modified with a polyelectrolyte‐surfactant matrix which was able to adsorb the xanthate, whose concentration is determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) following the change in the electron transfer resistance of ferrocyanide after a pre‐oxidation treatment. Linear ranges from 0.25 to 1 μM and 15 to 100 μM were determined for effluents and flotation baths, respectively. A mechanism for the electron transfer process is proposed based on Quartz crystal microbalance, IR and cyclic voltammetry studies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.