Treatment of textile wastewaters by electrocoagulation method

In this study, removal of organic matter and dye stuff from textile wastewaters using Electrocoagulation (EC) in a semi continuous flow in tube type iron reactor with iron electrodes were examined. Effects of some experimental parameters to the treatment efficiency were examined. Two different studies have been carried out using a model wastewater containing reactive scarlet dye and a real textile wastewater. During studies, pH, conductivity, temperature and voltage has been monitored. The performance of the reactor was determined by COD and dye stuff concentration.The experiments done with the model wastewater containing reactive scarlet dye, current density, initial pH, supporting electrolyte concentration and flow rate values have been changed and effects of these changes to the treatment have been investigated. The experiments done with the real textile wastewater, the effects of the parameters such as current density, flow rate and initial pH have been examined.Electrical energy consumptions in each experiment have been calculated. Further more, characterizations of sludge produced after treatment and iron concentration in the treated wastewater have been determined. Removal kinetic of the experiments has been presented. And finally operating costs of the experiments have been calculated.In the best treatment conditions, the experiments done with the model wastewater containing reactive scarlet dye, COD decreased from 620 mg/L to 22 mg/L with a removal efficiency of 96,45 % and dye concentration reduced from 200 mg/L to 1,08 mg/L with a removal efficiency of 99,46 %. In the experiment done with real textile wastewater, COD was reduced from 1953 mg/L to 61 mg/L and the removal efficiency was 96,88 % and the absorbance decreased from 0,337 to 0,017 abs. with a removal efficiency of 94,96 % .