Remediation of refinery wastewater using lectrocoagulation process

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the efficiency of the process of electrocoagulation in the remediation of wastewater from Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC). 50 liters of wastewater was collected from the effluent point of Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company for the period of 13 months. The process of electrocoagulation (EC), sedimentation and filtration was performed according to various procedures to treat the wastewater. The results obtained showed high dissolved solids (DS), suspended solids (SS), turbidity, electrical conductivity, nitrate, sulphide, phosphate, cyanide, chlorides, oil and grease as well as heavy metals (Hg, Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb) but the pH reduction was only 10%. The process of electrocoagulation can be effectively used to remove pollutant from refinery wastewater. It is recommended that Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company should add electrocoagulation as a supplement to enhance their treatment processes so as to help reduce the menace of water pollution faced by the inhabitants of Romi and Rido.