The electrowinning of cadmium from dilute sulphate solutions was studied by voltammetry and chronopotentiometry in a conventional three-electrode cell using a rotating glassy carbon and spiral wound steel electrodes. The polarization curves provided valuable information about the electrolytic cadmium reduction as well as of the respective current densities. The results of the recovery of cadmium by using a flow-by cell with spiral wound steel high-surface-area cathode were also described. The cell was operated in a continuous recirculated batch process. This reaction system was found to be extremely effective in reducing metal concentrations to the permissible range. Cadmium recovery of 30% at 250 muA cm(-2) increases sharply to 99.95% at 400 muA cm(-2). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.