Response Surface Modeling for COD Removal in Electroplating Effluent Using Sacrificial Electrodes by Electro Fenton Process: Optimization and Analysis

The effluent produced by the electroplating industry contains hazardous and toxic chemicals that pose a threat to living organisms and ecosystems. Consequently, it is essential to employ advanced treatment technologies to remove the toxicants from the wastewater. Over the past two decades, the concept of Electro Fenton has been developed and demonstrated as an effective method for significantly alleviating pollutants in wastewater, making it a promising solution for treating wastewater. In the present investigation, the efficiency of the Electro Fenton (EF) process in removing Chemical oxygen demand (COD) from electroplating wastewater using stainless steel as the sacrificial electrode was examined. The influence of various operating parameters, including pH, hydrogen peroxide concentration, reaction time, and Fe2+ concentration, was investigated with the help of Box-Behnken design (BDD) in Response surface methodology (RSM). Notably, EF treatability studies demonstrated that optimal conditions of pH 2, Fe2+ concentration of 0.005M, H2O2 concentration of 0.5M, and RPM of 450 resulted in more than 75% COD removal. Hence, the sacrificial electrodes can be effective in removing COD from the wastewater.