Investigation on operating parameters and cost using an electrocoagulation process for wastewater treatment

Abstract Wastewater generated from different sources affects the health of living organisms and the natural environment due to the availability of different pollutants. Electrocoagulation (EC) is a good technology implemented for wastewater treatment before discharging to an environment as effluents. The electrocoagulation process is an effective method to the remove the color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, and consumption of less energy from wastewater by considering different operating parameters. In this study, the major operating parameters for the electrocoagulation process such as pH (3–7.50), electric current (0.03–0.09 A), electrolytic concentration (1–3 g/L), the distance between electrodes (1–2 cm), electrolysis time (20–60 min) and combination of electrodes (Fe–Fe and Al–Al) were studied. The maximum removal of color–94.40%, COD–97.02%, and turbidity–90.91% with required energy consumption –36kWhr/m3 was obtained at the electric current–0.09 A, electrolyte concentration–3 g/L, pH–7, electrode combination–Fe–Fe, and distance between electrodes–3 cm, respectively. The studied parameters were affected the removal % color, % COD, % turbidity, and also the consumption of energy depending on the desired setup of fixed values of the parameter. Consumption of energy and electrode dissolution is related to the cost of operating in electrocoagulation in addition to the cost of labor and the small amount of sludge produced for disposal.