Electrocoagulation for Treatment of Industrial Effluents and Hydrogen Production

Abstract

World has entered into a new era where sustainability is the main factor to encounter the challenges of depletion of our reserves and environmental upsets. Wastewater is not only one of the main causes of irreversible damages to the environmental balances but also contributing to the depletion of fresh water reserves at this planet, generating threats to the next generation. A lot of industrial processes are conducted at the expense of plenty of fresh water which is exhausted as a wastewater, and need to be treated properly to reduce or eradicate the pollutants and achieve the purity level for its reutilization in the industrial process to promote sustainability. A number of wastewater treatment methods are prevailing associated with subsequent advantages and disadvantages. Most commonly wastewater treatments involve biological treatment[1], chemical treatment [2] and Electrocoagulation [3]. Biological and chemical treatments of wastewater are usually associated with the production of green house gases and activated sludge along with some other limitations regarding required area and removal of residual chemicals respectively. On the other hand, Electrocoagulation is an extremely effective wastewater treatment system, removing pollutants and producing hydrogen gas simultaneously as revenue to compensate the operational cost[3]. Electrocoagulation has been documented positively to treat the wastewater from steam cleaners, pressure washers, textile manufacturing, metal platers, meat and poultry processors, commercial laundry, mining operations, municipal sewage system plants and palm oil industrial effluents.