Evaluating electrocoagulation and fluid flow dynamics in the treatment of food manufacturing wastewater compared to conventional methods

Industrial wastewater, particularly from food manufacturing, contains high levels of organic matter, suspended solids, and heavy metals, posing environmental and public health challenges. Conventional methods, such as coagulation-flocculation and biological treatment, often have limitations, including high sludge production and inefficiencies in removing complex pollutants. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of electrocoagulation (EC) in treating food manufacturing wastewater compared to conventional treatment (CT) methods. A laboratory-scale batch reactor with aluminum and iron electrodes was used for electrocoagulation, while CT included coagulation-flocculation and biological treatment. Physicochemical, heavy metal and microbiological parameters were analysed before and after treatment. The results demonstrated that EC achieved higher removal efficiencies for key pollutants: 99.9% for COD, 99.9% for BOD, 97.7% for TSS, 96.9% for turbidity, and over 99% for heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and nickel. EC also exhibited superior microbial removal, achieving 100% eliminating total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Salmonella . In contrast, CT failed to meet regulatory limits for several parameters. The findings highlight that EC is a promising wastewater treatment alternative due to its high removal efficiency, lower sludge production, and reduced chemical use. This study underscores the need for further optimisation and large-scale implementation of EC to improve industrial wastewater management. • Electrocoagulation removed >99% of COD, BOD, TSS, turbidity, and heavy metals from food wastewater. • EC achieved complete microbial removal, outperforming conventional coagulation–flocculation methods. • Integration of fluid flow dynamics improved pollutant separation and reactor performance in EC systems. • EC offers a scalable, low-sludge, and chemical-saving alternative for industrial wastewater treatment.