Odour, Colour and Turbidity Removal from Selected Industrial Wastewater Using Electrocoagulation Process

Abstract

Electrocoagulation (EC) is an efficient electrochemical method for treating water using electric charges to destabilize and coagulate pollutants. In this study, a bipolar electrocoagulation reactor with aluminum electrodes was used to treat selected industrial wastewater. Key parameters, including odor, turbidity, Color, and other physicochemical parameters, were analyzed to evaluate the performance of the reactor. Focusing on textile wastewater and two types of cassava wastewater, fufu and starch, this study assessed Odor and turbidity removal using aluminum electrodes. Textile wastewater was used to examine Color removal. The operational parameters—voltage (10V–40V), temperature (30°C–38°C), and operating time (15 minutes to 1 hour)—were systematically varied to optimize the performance. The reactor significantly improved turbidity and color removal, with moderate odor reduction.  This study highlights the strong capability of the EC process in reducing turbidity using aluminum electrodes, despite challenges in Odor reduction. The electrocoagulation process effectively removed color, BOD, COD, TSS, and TDS from the wastewater. Voltage adjustments and electrolysis time are critical in optimizing pollutant removal and aligning with regulatory standards for industrial wastewater discharge. Despite its overall effectiveness, the challenges of achieving complete odor and BOD removal highlight areas for further research. This study highlights the potential of EC as a sustainable solution for industrial wastewater treatment.