Evaluation of electrochemical treatment of real hospital wastewater with different electrode materials

Abstract

In this paper, the treatment of real hospital wastewater (HWW) by electrocoagulation process (EC), which is one of the electrochemical treatment methods, has been evaluated. In the EC process, aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) plates as anode and cathode are used. Experimental studies were conducted at 5, 10, 20, 30 voltage (V) and 5, 10, 20, 30, 45 minutes (min) exposure times. pH, temperature, and conductivity were monitored. COD and phenol removal were evaluated. As a result of experimental studies, Al and Fe electrodes were effective in the treatment of HWW with EC. The highest COD removal efficiency was 93% at 30V 10 min and 95% at 30V 5 min for Al and Fe electrode, respectively. The highest phenol removal efficiency is 97% at 10V 10 min and 97% at 10V 5 min for Al and Fe electrode. When all parameters are evaluated, optimum electro kinetic conditions for treatment of HWW was obtained for 10V 5 min by the Fe electrode.

Keywords

• Hospital wastewater
• electrocoagulation
• aluminum electrode
• iron electrode

References

1. [1]. S. Top, 2016. Characterization of hospital wastewater and inverstigation of treatment alternatives, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, YTÜ, İstanbul, Turkey.
2. [2]. A. R. Mesdaghinia, K. Naddafi, R. Nabizadeh R. Saeedi M. Zamanzadeh, “Wastewater characteristics and appropriate methods for wastewater management in the hospitals”, Iran J Public Health, 38:34–40, 2009.
3. [3]. H. A. Abd El-Gawad, A. M. Aly, A”ssessment of aquatic environmental for wastewater management quality in the hospitals: a case study”, Aust J Basic Appl Sci, 5(7):474–482, 2011.
4. [4]. C. Boillot, C. Bazin, F. Tissot-Guerraz, J. Droguet, M. Perraud, J. C. Cetre et al., “Daily physicochemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological fluctuations of a hospital effluent according to technical and care activities”, Sci Total Environ, 403:113–129, 2008.
5. [5]. H. A. Duong, N. H. Pham, H. T. Nguyen, T. T. Hoang, H. V. Pham, V. C. Pham, M. Berg, W. Giger, A. C. Alder, “Occurrence, fate and antibiotic resistance of fluoroquinolone antibacterials in hospital wastewaters in Hanoi, Vietnam”, Chemosphere, 72:968–973, 2008.
6. [6]. P. Verlicchi, M. Al Aukidy, A. Galletti, M. Petrovic, D. Barcelo´, “Hospital effluent: investigation of the concentrations and distribution of pharmaceuticals and environmental risk assessment”, Sci Total Environ, 430:109–118, 2012.
7. [7]. S. Yuan, X. Jiang, X. Xia, H. Zhang, S. Zheng, “Detection, occurrence and fate of psychiatric pharmaceuticals in psychiatric hospital and municipal wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China”, Chemosphere, 90:2520–252, 2013.
8. [8]. V. P. Prabhasankar, D. I. Joshua, K. Balakrishna, I. F. Siddiqui, S. Taniyasu, N.Yamashita, K. Kannan, M. Akiba, Y. Praveenkumarreddy, K. S. Guruge, “Removal rates of antibiotics in four sewage treatment plants in South India”, Environ Sci Pollut Res., doi:10.1007/s11356- 015-5968-3, 2016.

9. [9]. M. Al Aukidy, S. Al Chalabi, P. Verlicchi, “Hospital wastewater treatments adopted in Asia, Africa, and Australia. In Hospital Wastewaters”, Springer, Cham., pp. 171-188, 2017.
10. [10]. Ü. T. Ün, S. Uğur, A. S. Koparal, Ü. B. Öğütveren, “Electrocoagulation of olive mill wastewaters”, Separation and Purification Technology, 52(1), 136-141, 2006.
11. [11]. N. Adhoum, L. Monser, “Decolourization and removal of phenolic compounds from olive mill wastewater by electrocoagulation,” Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 43(10), 1281-1287, 2004
12. [12]. M. Y. A. Mollah, R. Schennach, J. R. Parga, D. L. Cocke, “Electrocoagulation (EC)—science and application”, J. Hazard. Mater, B84, 29–41, 2001.
13. [13]. C. Feng, N. Sugiura, S. Shimada, T. Maekawa, “Development of a high performance electrochemical wastewater treatment system”, J. Hazard. Mater., B103, 65–78, 2003. [14]. F. İlhan, “Sızıntı Sularının Elektrokoagülasyon Yöntemiyle Arıtılması”, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, YTÜ Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İstanbul, 2006. [15]. C. T. Wang, W. L. Chou, Y. M. Kuo, "Removal of COD from Laundry Wastewater by Electrocoagulation/Electroflotation", Journal of Hazardous Materials, 164: 81-86, 2009.
14. [16]. M. Kobya, O. T. Can, M. Bayramoglu, M., “Treatment of Textile Wastewaters by Electrocoagulation Using Iron and Aluminum Electrodes”, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 100: 163-178, 2003.
15. [17]. Q. Nguyen, T. Watari, T. Yamaguchi, Y. Takimoto, K. Niihara, J. Wiff, T. Nakayama, “COD Removal from Artificial Wastewater by Electrocoagulation Using Aluminum Electrodes”, Int. J. Electrochem. Sci, 15, 39-51, 2020.
16. [18]. Z. Zaroual, H. Chaair, A. H. Essadki, K. El Ass, M. Azzi, “Optimizing the removal of trivalent chromium by electrocoagulation using experimental design”. Chemical Engineering Journal, 148(2-3), 488-495, 2009.
17. [19]. I. Heidmann, W. Calmano, “Removal of Zn (II), Cu (II), Ni (II), Ag (I) and Cr (VI) present in aqueous solutions by aluminium electrocoagulation”, Journal of hazardous materials, 152(3), 934-941, 2008.
18. [20]. P. Canizares, M. Carmona, J. Lobato, F. Martinez, M. A. Rodrigo, “Electrodissolution of aluminum electrodes in electrocoagulation processes”, Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 44(12), 4178-4185, 2005.
19. [21]. A. K. Verma, “Treatment of textile wastewaters by electrocoagulation employing Fe-Al composite electrode”, Journal of Water Process Engineering, 20, 168-172, 2017.
20. [22]. S. Garcia-Segura, M. M. S. Eiband, J. V. de Melo, C. A. Martínez-Huitle, “Electrocoagulation and advanced electrocoagulation processes: A general review about the fundamentals, emerging applications and its association with other technologies”, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 801, 267-299, 2017.
21. [23]. E. Demirbas, M. Kobya, “Operating cost and treatment of metalworking fluid wastewater by chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation processes”, Process Saf. Environ. Prot., 105, pp. 79-90, 10.1016/j.psep.2016.10.013, 2017.
22. [24]. M. E. Olya, A. Pirkarami, “Electrocoagulation for the removal of phenol and aldehyde contaminants from resin effluent”, Water Sci. Technol., 68(9), pp. 1940-1949, 2013.
23. [25]. S. Ahmadzadeh, A. Asadipour, M. Pournamdari, B. Behnam, H. R. Rahimi, M. Dolatabadi, “Removal of ciprofloxacin from hospital wastewater using electrocoagulation technique by aluminum electrode: optimization and modelling through response surface methodology”, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 109, 538-547, 2017.
24. [26]. P. Canizares, F. Martinez, J. Garcia-gomez, C. Saez, M.A. Rodrigo Combined electrooxidation and assisted electrochemical coagulation of aqueous phenol wastes Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 32 (11), pp. 1241-1246, 2002.
25. [27]. C. A. Martínez-Huitle E. Brillas, “Decontamination of wastewaters containing synthetic organic dyes by electrochemical methods: a general review”, Appl. Catal. BEnviron. 87, 105–145, 2009.
26. [28]. O. Abdelwahab, N. K. Amin, E. Z. El-Ashtoukhy, “Electrochemical removal of phenol from oil refinery wastewater”, Journal of hazardous materials, 163(2-3), 711-716, 2009.
27. [29]. J. Zhu, H. Zhao, J. Ni, “Fluoride distribution in electrocoagulation defluoridation process, Sep. Purif. Technol. 56, 184–191, 2007.
28. [30]. M. Emamjomeh and M. Sivakumar, M. “Fluoride removal by a continuous flow electrocoagulation reactor”, J. Environ. Manage. 90, 1204-1212, 2009.
29. [31]. J. N. Hakizimana, B. Gourich, M. Chafi, Y. Stiriba, C. Vial, P. Drogui, J. Naja, “Electrocoagulation process in water treatment: A review of electrocoagulation modeling approaches”, Desalination, 404, pp. 1-21, 2017.
30. [32]. V. Kuokkanen, T. Kuokkanen, J. Rämö, U. Lassi, “Recent applications of electrocoagulation in treatment of water and wastewater—a review Green Sustain”, Chem., 03, pp, 2013.