Electrodissolution of Aluminum Electrodes in Electrocoagulation Processes

Slaughterhouse wastewater treatment by combined chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation process

Slaughterhouse wastewater contains various and high amounts of organic matter (e.g., proteins, blood, fat and lard). In order to produce an effluent suitable for stream discharge, chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation techniques have been particularly explored at the laboratory pilot scale for organic compounds removal from slaughterhouse effluent. The purpose of this work was to investigate the feasibility of treating cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater by combined chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation process to achieve the required standards. The influence of the operating variables such as coagulant dose, electrical potential and reaction time on the removal efficiencies of major pollutants was determined. The rate of removal of pollutants linearly increased with increasing doses of PACl and applied voltage. COD and BOD₅ removal of more than 99% was obtained by adding 100 mg/L PACl and applied voltage 40 V. The experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of chemical and electrochemical techniques for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewaters. Consequently, combined processes are inferred to be superior to electrocoagulation alone for the removal of both organic and inorganic compounds from cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater.

Effect of anions on removing Cu2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ in electrocoagulation process using aluminum electrodes

In the present study, the performance of electrocoagulation process with aluminum electrodes in the treatment of Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Mn(2+) containing aqueous solutions was investigated by depending on type of anion in solution, considering some operating conditions such as initial metal concentration and pH. Results obtained from synthetic wastewater showed that type of anion in solutions has a significant effect on the metal removal. The initial concentration of zinc influenced significantly the performance of electrocoagulation process as compared with the results obtained from Mn and Cu metals. Anions studied did not generate an important difference between pH variations. Best removals for three metals were achieved with increasing the pH in the presence of both anions. Total removals of copper and zinc reached almost 100% after 5 min at pH values > 7. At the end of the experiments for 35 min, the Mn removals were 85 and 80% in the presence of sulfate and chloride anions, respectively.

Investigation of electrochemical variables and performance of a continuous upflow electrocoagulation process in the treatment of Reactive Blue 140

This study presents an investigation of electrochemical variables in the operation of a continuous upflow electrocoagulation process in treating textile wastewater. Reactive Blue 140, which is porphyrin-based, was used as a representative dye in the experiments. The optimal values of the design and operating parameters were found, from a batch mode, to be the following: iron anode, distance between electrodes of 8 mm, current density of at least 30 A/m2, and contact time of at least 5 minutes. These optimal values were used to design a continuous upflow electrocoagulation reactor. The pattern of liquid flow within the upflow reactor was studied using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program, which simulated the flow behavior inside the reactor using the finite volume method. For optimal parameter values, the water passing the electrode plates had a uniform distribution, and the reactor performance was satisfactory, with >90% color removal and energy consumption of approximately 1.4 kWh/m3.

Effects of chloride ions on electro-coagulation-flotation process with aluminum electrodes for algae removal

Electro-coagulation-flotation (ECF) is one of the most promising technologies that offers an attractive alternative to conventional coagulation and flotation. In this study, the effectiveness and mechanisms of algae removal by ECF process using aluminum electrodes was investigated in the presence of Cl(-) ions. The results showed that the addition of Cl(-) ions (1.0, 3.0, 5.0 and 8.0 mM) had a promoting effect on the algae removal in terms of both the cell density and chlorophyll-a, which could be attributed to the following two reasons. Firstly, active chlorine could be generated in the ECF when Cl(-) ions were present. The electrochemically generated active chlorine was demonstrated to be effective for the inactivation of algae cells with the aid of the electric field in the ECF. Secondly, the Cl(-) ions in the algae solution could enhance the release of Al(3+) from the aluminum electrodes in the ECF. Through SEM-EDX analysis, pitting corrosion and alleviated formation of oxide film by Cl(-) ions were observed on the anode surface. When considering that Cl(-) ions are universally present in natural waters, the effects of Cl(-) on ECF process for algae removal are of great significance.

Treatment of industrial effluents by a continuous system: electrocoagulation--activated sludge

A continuous system electrocoagulation--active sludge was designed and built for the treatment of industrial wastewater. The system included an electrochemical reactor with aluminum electrodes, a clarifier and a biological reactor. The electrochemical reactor was tested under different flowrates (50, 100 and 200 mL/min). In the biological reactor, the performance of different cultures of active sludge was assessed: coliform bacterial, ciliate and flagellate protozoa and aquatic fungus. Overall treatment efficiencies of color, turbidity and COD removal were 94%, 92% and 80%, respectively, under optimal conditions of 50 mL/min flowrate and using ciliate and flagellate protozoa. It was concluded that the system was efficient for the treatment of industrial wastewater.

Electro-coagulation-flotation process for algae removal

Algae in surface water have been a long-term issue all over the world, due to their adverse influence on drinking water treatment process as well as drinking water quality. The algae removal by electro-coagulation-flotation (ECF) technology was investigated in this paper. The results indicated that aluminum was an excellent electrode material for algae removal as compared with iron. The optimal parameters determined were: current density=1 mA/cm(2), pH=4-7, water temperature=18-36 degrees C, algae density=0.55 x 10(9)-1.55 x 10(9) cells/L. Under the optimal conditions, 100% of algae removal was achieved with the energy consumption as low as 0.4 kWh/m(3). The ECF performed well in acid and neutral conditions. At low initial pH of 4-7, the cell density of algae was effectively removed in the ECF, mainly through the charge neutralization mechanism; while the algae removal worsened when the pH increased (7-10), and the main mechanism shifted to sweeping flocculation and enmeshment. The mechanisms for algae removal at different pH were also confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. Furthermore, initial cell density and water temperature could also influence the algae removal. Overall, the results indicated that the ECF technology was effective for algae removal, from both the technical and economical points of view.

Electrocoagulation of blue reactive, red disperse and mixed dyes, and application in treating textile effluent

This study investigated the efficiency of electrocoagulation in removing color from synthetic and real textile wastewater. Two representative dye molecules were selected for the synthetic dye wastewater: a blue reactive dye (Reactive Blue 140) and a disperse dye (Disperse Red 1). The electrochemical technique showed satisfactory color removal efficiency and reliable performance in treating both individual and mixed dye types. The removal efficiency and energy consumption data showed that, for a given current density, iron was superior to aluminum in treating both the reactive dye and the disperse dye. With an initial dye concentration of 100 mg L(-1), the energy cost in achieving >95% color removal was on the order of 1 kWh m(-3) for both dyes. The effect of changing the initial pH of the samples on the removal efficiency and energy consumption was also studied. It was found that the design parameters used for the synthetic wastewater were less effective for treatment of real textile wastewater, with 1 in 5 tests on real wastewater failing.

Treatment of dairy effluents by electrocoagulation using aluminium electrodes

This work sets out to examine the efficiency of an electrolytic treatment: electrocoagulation, applied to dairy effluents. The experiments were carried out using a soluble aluminium anode on artificial wastewater derived from solutions of milk powder. The flocks generated during this treatment were separated by filtration. The analysis of the filtrates showed that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced by up to 61% while the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen contents, and turbidity were 89, 81 and 100%, respectively. An analogous treatment applied to phosphate and lactose solutions revealed that lactose was not eliminated, a fact that could account for the rather poor lowering of the COD. Compared to the chemical coagulation treatment with aluminium sulphate, the efficiency of the electrocoagulation technique was almost identical. However the wastewaters treated by electrocoagulation differed by the fact that they exhibited a lower conductivity and a neutral pH value (by contrast to the acid nature of the solution treated by the chemical coagulation). This result (low conductivity, neutral pH) tends to show that it may be possible to recycle the treated water for some industrial uses. Moreover, the electrocoagulation process uses fewer reagents: the mass of the aluminium anode dissolved during the treatment is lower compared to the quantity of the aluminium salt used in chemical coagulation. These two observations clearly show that the electrocoagulation technique is more performing.

On the crucial influence of some supporting electrolytes during electrocoagulation in the presence of aluminum electrodes

The influence of some supporting electrolytes on aluminum electrode oxidation and pH variation during electrocoagulation of an unskimmed milk sample and a cutting oil emulsion has been investigated. Among the electrolytes studied, sulfate anions were found to be quite harmful both for electrical consumption and electrocoagulation efficiency. At the opposite, chloride and ammonium ions were particularly benefic respectively for aluminum corrosion and pH regulation, whereas sodium cations were observed to have a neutral role. The results indicate that electrocoagulation can be realized at low anodic potential even in the presence of sulfate ions when the [Cl(-)]/[SO(4)(2-)] ratio is around or greater than 1/10. The detrimental effect of sulfates on electrocoagulation efficiency can be thwarted by the use of the ammonium salt thanks to its related buffer effect.

The pH as a key parameter in the choice between coagulation and electrocoagulation for the treatment of wastewaters

In this work, it is studied the influence of the pH of the waste in the coagulation with aluminum by conventional and electrochemical dosing. To do that, the speciation of aluminum as a function of the pH has been characterized, and this information has been used to interpret the results obtained in the treatments (by both coagulation methods) of a synthetic oil-in-water emulsion and an actual effluent of a door-manufacturing factory. Results show that a simple change in the pH of the wastes can result in a significant change in the efficiency of the coagulation process, and that if the same pH conditions are found at the end of the treatment, the efficiencies of the solution-dosing and of the electrochemical dosing technologies are very similar.

Decolorization of C.I. Acid Blue 9 solution by UV/Nano-TiO(2), Fenton, Fenton-like, electro-Fenton and electrocoagulation processes: a comparative study

This study makes a comparison between UV/Nano-TiO(2), Fenton, Fenton-like, electro-Fenton (EF) and electrocoagulation (EC) treatment methods to investigate the removal of C.I. Acid Blue 9 (AB9), which was chosen as the model organic contaminant. Results indicated that the decolorization efficiency was in order of Fenton>EC>UV/Nano-TiO(2)>Fenton-like>EF. Desired concentrations of Fe(2+) and H(2)O(2) for the abatement of AB9 in the Fenton-based processes were found to be 10(-4)M and 2 x 10(-3) M, respectively. In the case of UV/Nano-TiO(2) process, we have studied the influence of the basic photocatalytic parameters such as the irradiation time, pH of the solution and amount of TiO(2) nanoparticles on the photocatalytic decolorization efficiency of AB9. Accordingly, it could be stated that the complete removal of color, after selecting desired operational parameters could be achieved in a relatively short time, about 25 min. Our results also revealed that the most effective decomposition of AB9 was observed with 150 mg/l of TiO(2) nanoparticles in acidic condition. The effect of operational parameters including current density, initial pH and time of electrolysis were studied in electrocoagulation process. The results indicated that for a solution of 20 mg/l AB9, almost 98% color were removed, when the pH was about 6, the time of electrolysis was 8 min and the current density was approximately 25 A/m(2) in electrocoagulation process.

Treatment of the baker's yeast wastewater by electrocoagulation

In the laboratory-scale experiments, treatment of baker's yeast production wastewater has been investigated by electrocoagulation (EC) using a batch reactor. Effects of the process variables such as pH, electrode material (Fe and Al), current density, and operating time are investigated in terms of removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), turbidity, and operating cost, respectively. The maximum removal efficiencies of COD, TOC and turbidity under optimal operating conditions, i.e., pH 6.5 for Al electrode and pH 7 for Fe electrode, current density of 70 A/m2 and operating time of 50 min were 71, 53 and 90% for Al electrode and 69, 52 and 56% for Fe electrode, respectively. Al electrode gave 4.4 times higher removal efficiency of turbidity than Fe electrode due to interference from color of dissolved iron. The operating costs for Al and Fe electrodes in terms of $/m3 or $/kg COD were 1.54 and 0.82, 0.51 and 0.27, respectively.

Break-up of oil-in-water emulsions by electrochemical techniques

Electrochemically-assisted technologies can be successfully applied to the treatment of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. In this work, it is studied the influence of the main parameters (electrical charge passed, pH, electrolyte, oil content and operation mode) in the efficiency of these processes, when aluminium electrodes are used. The pH was found to be the most significant parameter, and good removal efficiencies were only obtained for pHs in the range 5-9. The electrical charge passed was observed to be directly related to the aluminium supplied to the waste. For a given oil concentration it is required that a minimum electrical charge is passed to break-up the emulsion. Further increases in the electrical charge lead to increase in the COD removal. The influence of the oil concentration is related to that of the electrical charge passed: for a given dose of aluminium, the higher the oil content the lower the COD-removal efficiency. Likewise, to produce the break-up of the emulsion it is required a minimum dose of aluminium (electrical charge passed), lower doses do not attain the rupture of the emulsion. The type of electrolyte and its concentration were also found to influence the process efficiency. Better efficiencies were obtained in the treatment of chloride-containing wastes and for low concentration of electrolyte. The destabilization of the O/W emulsion was found to be favoured in the discontinuous operation mode. Bridging flocculation is a primary destabilization mechanism that can explain the experimental results obtained in this work.

Coagulation and electrocoagulation of wastes polluted with dyes

Dyes are common pollutants in a large variety of industrial wastewaters, and the treatment of these wastes by coagulation has been extensively studied in the literature. This work is focused on the comparison of the efficiencies of the chemical and the electrochemical coagulation processes with hydrolyzing aluminum salts, and it tries to determine the similarities or differences that exist between the two coagulation processes. To do this, Eriochrome Black T solutions were used as a model of dye-polluted wastewater, and experiments of both coagulation technologies were planned to meet the same operation conditions. The pH, the aluminum concentration, the type of electrolyte, and the mode of dosing of aluminum were found to influence the process. Moreover, the speciation of aluminum was found to be the key parameter to explain the results, in terms of the mechanisms previously proposed in the literature for dissolved organic matter coagulation.