Investigation Removal Efficiency of Electrocoagulation Process as A Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment Technique: Toxicity Assessment

Abstract

The wastewater resulting from slaughtering and meat processing in slaughterhouses contains a high amount of organic matter. The discharge of these wastewaters into rivers, sewage networks or soil creates significant environmental pollution. In the present study, the treatment of wastewater from Erbil cattle and poultry slaughterhouse through an electrochemical coagulation method has been investigated. In experimental studies, the effects of current density, initial pH and support electrolyte concentration (Na 2 SO 4 ) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency have been investigated. Through numerous treatment investigations with main slaughterhouse wastewater samples, the aluminum electrodes exhibited a removal efficiency of 82.43%. at an electric current density of 20.00 mA.cm − 2 and pH 5. While by using iron electrodes a COD removal efficiency reached 92.52% at an electric current density of 20 mA.cm − 2 and pH 9. Despite the electrocoagulation (EC) lower COD, the system’s effectiveness cannot be evaluated without taking the toxicity into account.