Evaluation of Electrocoagulation Efficiency in Domestic Wastewater Treatment Under the Influence of Operational Parameters

Domestic wastewater is one of the biggest problems facing the environment, being one of the most important sources of environmental pollution. It changes the physical and biological properties of the environment when discharged without treatment. The removal of pollutants from industrial and domestic wastewater using electrocoagulation (EC) technology was investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of several operating parameters on pollutant removal efficiency. These parameters included applied voltage, flow rate, electrode spacing, NH₄Cl concentration, and reaction time. A stainless-steel electrochemical cell, consisting of both a cathode and an anode, was constructed for the experiments. The effect of each variable was examined independently. The results showed that under optimal conditions of electrode spacing of 1 cm, a flow rate of 0.05 L/min, an NH₄Cl concentration of 300 mg/L, an applied voltage of 15 V, and a hydraulic retention time of 45 minutes, the highest pollutant removal efficiencies were achieved: 83% for turbidity, 85% for TSS, 84% for COD, and 82% for BOD. Conversely, at non-ideal conditions (9 cm electrode spacing, 3 V voltage, and 15 min holding time), the removal effectiveness fell markedly to less than 50%. The findings indicate that the electrocoagulation process is a sure method of removing pollutants in wastewater, provided that it takes place under appropriate conditions. It improves the quality of the water by eliminating pollutants.