Performance Assessment of Fe-Fe Punched and Mesh Electrodes in EC and AEC Treatment of Distillery Spent Wash

Distillery Spent Wash (DSW) is a highly contaminated wastewater that is difficult to treat because it contains dissolved salts, organic materials, and melanoidins. This study assesses the effectiveness of Electrocoagulation (EC) and Aerated Electrocoagulation (AEC) using Iron-Iron (Fe-Fe) punched and mesh electrodes for the treatment of DSW. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to improve operational parameters such as Electrolysis Time (ET) (30–120 min), Voltage (V) (10-30 V), Electrode Distance (ED) (1.5-2.5 cm), and Agitation Speed (AS) (300–900 rpm). The findings showed 70–91% color removal, 60–91% Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reduction, and 50–89% Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) removal. Because of improved oxidation and flocculation processes, AEC showed greater treatment efficiency than EC. Among the electrode configurations, Fe–Fe mesh electrodes under AEC conditions showed the highest removal performance. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed surface roughening and oxide–hydroxide layer formation on the electrodes after treatment, while Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed increased oxygen content and adsorption of spentwash-derived ions. Economic analysis indicated that both EC and AEC are cost-effective, with operating costs of ₹54.46/m³ and ₹54.48/m³, respectively. Overall, the study confirms that EC and AEC using Fe–Fe electrodes are efficient and economical treatment methods for DSW.