Optimization of electrocoagulation process to treat grey wastewater in batch mode using response surface methodology

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Greywater discharge negatively impacts aquatic ecosystems.
• Effective treatment methods are crucial for mitigating pollution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the electrocoagulation (EC) process for greywater treatment.
• To optimize operating conditions for maximum pollutant removal.

Main Methods:

• Electrocoagulation (EC) using a stainless steel anode in batch mode.
• Box-Behnken response surface design (BBD) to optimize pH, current density, electrode distance, and electrolysis time.
• Analysis of total solids (TS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fecal coliform (FC) removal.

Main Results:

• Process variables significantly affected EC efficiency.
• Optimal conditions determined: pH 7, 20 mA/cm², 5 cm electrode distance, 20 min electrolysis time.
• Second-order polynomial models developed for statistical analysis.

Conclusions:

• Electrocoagulation (EC) is a highly efficient method for greywater treatment.
• The process demonstrates potential for large-scale application in removing TS, COD, and FC.
• Optimized parameters ensure effective pollutant reduction.