A novel approach for removing cadmium from synthetic wet phosphoric acid using sulfide precipitation process operating in batch and continuous modes

•Batch and continuous sulfide precipitation using NaHS and Na2S was carried out for wet phosphoric acid decadmiation.•High cadmium removal efficiency was achieved when Sulfur/Cd2+ molar ratio was increased, especially for highly phosphoric acid concentrations.•NaHS was found to be more suitable for cadmium removal owing to the ionic strength.•Kinetic model of cadmium removal from phosphoric acid by sulfide precipitation was developed.•The mean particle size of cadmium sulfide augmented by rising sulfur to metal molar ratio.