Assessment and modeling of COD removal efficiency in textile wastewater using electrocoagulation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67603/jaate.v1i02.10441Keywords:
Electrocoagulation, Turbidity, COD, Dye, Textile wastewater, ModelingAbstract
In electrocoagulation (EC), coagulants are generated in situ through the corrosion of sacrificial anodes under the application of a direct current (DC) voltage. Simultaneously, electrolytic hydrogen gas (H2) is produced at the cathode. Aluminum and iron are commonly used as anode materials; their dissolution leads to the formation of hydroxides and polymeric hydroxides. These species act as coagulants capable of destabilizing colloidal suspensions and emulsions, as well as adsorbing, neutralizing, or precipitating dissolved pollutants. Ultimately, they form flocs that can be removed by either sedimentation or flotation.
In this study, the influence of key operating parameters of EC, such as current density (j), solution pH, and conductivity (κ), was investigated for the removal of a red textile dye. The results show that current density has a significant effect on the removal of turbidity, color, and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Removal efficiencies of 77.25% for turbidity, 86.55% for color, and 78.5% for COD were obtained under the following conditions: initial dye concentration C₀ = 100 mg/L, j = 150 A/m², κ = 3.56 mS/cm, inlet flow rate Q = 0.15 L/min, treatment time t = 40 min, and initial pH = 7.65. Finally, a model relating COD removal to aluminum consumption was proposed, which satisfactorily described the experimental results.
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