Study on the treatment of polyvinyl alcohol wastewater using iron-carbon microelectrolysis

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) wastewater was pretreated by iron-carbon (Fe/C) microelectrolysis. The effects of initial pH, reaction time, aeration volume, and iron-carbon dosing on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate were investigated. The COD removal rate is used as the response function and the response surface method (RSM) is optimized. When the initial pH was 1.8, the reaction time was 2.5h, the aeration volume was 4.3 L/min, and the treatment concentration was 800 mg/L of polyvinyl alcohol wastewater, the COD removal rate was the highest, 62.26%, and the PVA removal rate reached 64.88%. Among them, reaction time and aeration volume are key factors in improving the treatment effect. Research shows that after pretreated PVA wastewater is treated by a microelectrolytic reactor, the organic pollutants in the wastewater can be basically completely degraded or converted, and the biochemical properties of the wastewater can be improved.