Physio‐Biological Integration for Removal and Decolorization of Dyes and Extraction of Toxic Metals (Chromium and Cadmium) via Electro‐Kinetic Process From Textile Wastewater

ABSTRACT Textile wastewater, characterized by its complex mixture of organic dyes and heavy metals such as cadmium and chromium, poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the efficacy of an integrated treatment approach combining physical adsorption, biological remediation, and electrokinetic processes for the posttreatment of textile effluents. A series of pond‐based experiments were conducted to assess the removal efficiency of dyes and heavy metal mixtures in a continuous flow system. Four distinct treatment lines were evaluated: (a) Adsorption Pond (AD‐P) utilizing dolomite, (b) Duckweed Pond (DW‐P) employing Lemna gibba (strain 8431), (c) Microalgae Pond (MA‐P) with Chlorella kessleri (NIES‐227), and (d) Fungal Pond (FG‐P) incorporating Trametes versicolor (ATCC 20869). Each treatment line was subjected to two experimental setups: Run 1 featured a 500 ppm dye mixture with 25 ppm cadmium and chromium, while Run 2 utilized a 1000 ppm dye mixture with 50 ppm cadmium and chromium. Samples were collected at 4‐day intervals over a 12‐day experimental period. Results indicated that dye decolorization efficiencies were 62.76% in Run 1 and 52% in Run 2. Chromium removal efficiencies were 75% in Run 1 and 73.6% in Run 2, whereas cadmium removal efficiencies were 66% and 69.4%, respectively. The final extraction of metals using electrokinetic processes demonstrated chromium removal rates of 79.6% for algae, 71.6% for Lemna gibba , 69.6% for fungi, and 64.2% for dolomite. For cadmium, extraction rates were 67.94% for dolomite, 63% for fungi, 55.8% for algae, and 52.5% for Lemna gibba . The findings suggest that the integration of biological species with electrokinetic remediation can be an effective and potentially sustainable strategy for the removal of dyes and heavy metals from textile wastewater. However, while promising, this integrated approach also comes with certain challenges, such as system complexity, the need for careful control of operational parameters, and potential issues with long‐term stability. Additionally, the generation of sludge or byproducts could affect the overall sustainability of the system. As such, while this method offers a viable solution for mitigating environmental contamination and meeting effluent discharge regulations, further research is needed to optimize operational conditions and assess its scalability for industrial applications.