TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT: COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HYBRID ELECTROCOAGULATION PROCESSES WITH ZEOLITE, ULTRASOUND, AND MAGNET

<p>This study evaluates three hybrid electrocoagulation (EC) processes with aluminium electrodes:<br />EC-zeolite process (EC+Z), EC-zeolite-ultrasound-assisted process (EC+Z+US), and EC-zeolitemagnet-<br />assisted process (EC+Z+MAG) for compost wastewater treatment with a large content of<br />organic matter. The focus was on evaluating the effects of these processes on the removal<br />efficiency of pollutants, including chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity. Additionally, the<br />study analysed the pH and temperature variations as well as electrode dissolution and corrosion<br />to assess each hybrid process. The results revealed that the EC+Z+MAG process achieved the<br />highest COD and turbidity decrease, indicating its superior efficiency in particle aggregation and<br />removal. Regarding the pH and temperature, the EC+Z+US experiment exhibited the least changes<br />in pH and temperature, while the EC+Z+MAG exhibited the highest. The EC+Z+US showed<br />improved sludge recovery due to better particle agglomeration, while reducing electrode corrosion<br />compared to other processes. Microscopic analysis indicated that ultrasound assistance reduced<br />corrosion damage on the anode, while the magnetic field in the EC+Z+MAG process contributed to<br />the formation of a dendritic structure on the cathode. Even though this study highlights the<br />effectiveness of combining electrocoagulation with zeolite, ultrasound, and magnetic assistance to<br />enhance wastewater treatment efficiency, further optimization of these hybrid processes is<br />recommended to balance performance with sustainability and electrode longevity.</p>