Efficiency Evaluation of the Continuous Flow Electrocoagulation Process for the Treatment of Oily-Contaminated Wastewater

• Published in: Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology Vol. 25; no. 12; pp. 203 - 217
• Main Authors: Elwakil, Abdelaleem, El-Sayed, Abd-Elaziz, Ayoub, Mohamed, El-Morsy, Ahmed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE) 01-12-2024
• Subjects: electrocoagulation; oily wastewater treatment; response surface methodology; sustainability
• ISSN: 2719-7050; 2719-7050
• DOI: 10.12912/27197050/194187

Wastewater generated by edible oil industries is characterized by elevated levels of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), oils, and grease (O&G), which poses significant challenges for treatment to comply with environmental standards. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of continuous flow electrocoagulation in treating such wastewater and optimizing water quality to meet these standards. A Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach is employed to evaluate the influence of critical operational parameters, including pH, electrode distance, electric current, and reaction time, on the removal efficiencies of COD and O&G. Numerous experiments are conducted under various conditions to identify the optimal configuration. The results revealed that under optimal conditions of pH 3.81, electrode spacing of 1.5 cm, an electric current of 5 A, and a contact time of 51.42 minutes, removal efficiencies of 91.2% for COD and 93.7% for O&G are achieved. Additionally, the maximum processing efficiency is reached during the second operational cycle, where the residual concentrations of COD and O&G are found to be 36.6 mg/L and 14.2 mg/L, resulting in removal efficiencies of 99.26% and 99.25%, respectively. These findings underscore that the proposed optimized electrocoagulation method can attain higher removal efficiencies for COD and O&G than those previously noted in comparable studies. Consequently, this method could be adopted by industries aiming to comply with stringent environmental regulations. Furthermore, the novel combination of operational parameters addresses a significant gap in wastewater treatment research, providing a sustainable solution for industries managing oily contaminants. However, further research may be necessary to evaluate large-scale applications' long-term operational stability and cost-effectiveness.