What is the chemical used to destroy cyanide?

Chlorine is an effective chemical for detoxifying cyanide in wastewater treatment processes. When chlorine is added to a solution containing cyanide, it reacts to form less toxic substances. This process is often referred to as "chlorination," where chlorine oxidizes cyanide compounds, facilitating their breakdown into simpler, non-toxic forms. The use of chlorine is widely accepted in wastewater treatment facilities due to its effectiveness and rapid action compared to other methods.

Other options do not serve the same purpose: for example, ozone can also be used for oxidation but is more costly and is typically not as efficient specifically for cyanide as chlorine is. Hydrogen peroxide is another oxidizing agent that can treat cyanide, but it usually requires specific conditions or additional catalysts to achieve effective results, making it less commonly used in this context than chlorine. Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, does not have any chemical properties that would allow it to effectively detoxify cyanide and is primarily used for pH adjustments in wastewater processes.