Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electrochemical pre-treatment of effluents containing chlorinated compounds using an adsorbent

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Applied Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electrochemical pre-treatment of industrial wastewater to remove refractory and/or toxic organic components, making them more amenable to biological treatment, is likely to be more cost-effective than using a physical or chemical process for complete organic removal. This paper demonstrates the use of a carbon-based adsorbent material that preferentially removes chlorinated organic compounds. Electrochemical regeneration of the adsorbent is shown to be a quick, easy and cheap process, because the adsorbent is both highly electrically conducting and non-porous. High regeneration rates over a number of cycles were obtained by passing a charge of 25 C g−1 through a bed of adsorbent particles, at a current density of 20 mA cm−2 for 10 min. The energy required to remove a kg of COD from an industrial wastewater was calculated to be 27 kWh.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. San Miguel G, Lambert SD, Graham NJD (2001) Water Res 35:2740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. McKay G (1996) Use of adsorbents for the removal of pollutants from wastewaters. CRC Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  3. Leng CC, Pinto NG (1997) Carbon 35:1375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Martin RJ, Ng WJ (1987) Water Res 21:961

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. McLaughlin HS (1995) Chem Eng Prog 91:45

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ania CO, Menendez JA, Parra JB et al (2004) Carbon 42:1377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhang HP, Wang S, Liu Z (2003) Environ Eng Sci 20:57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ha SR, Vinitnantharat S, Ozaki H (2000) Biotechnol Lett 22:1093

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Walker GM, Weatherley LR (1998) Proc Saf Environ Protect 76:177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shende RV, Mahajani VV (2002) Waste Manag 22:73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Narbaitz RM, Cen JQ (1994) Water Res 28:1771

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Taiwo EA, Adesina A (2005) Chem Biochem Eng Q 19:269

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang H, Ye L, Zhong H (2002) J Chem Technol Biotechnol 77:1246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhang HP (2002) Chem Eng J 85:81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wu ZC, Zhou MH (2001) Environ Sci Technol 35:2698

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Brown NW, Roberts EPL, Chasiotis A et al (2004) Water Res 38:3067

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Brown NW, Roberts EPL, Garforth AA et al (2004) Electrochim Acta 49:3269

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Comninellis C, Pulgarin C (1991) J Appl Electrochem 21:703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Comninellis C (1994) Electrochim Acta 39:1857

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Canizares P, Garcia-Gomez J, Saez C et al (2004) J Appl Electrochem 34:87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Brown NW, Roberts EPL, Garforth AA et al (2002) Proc Electrochem 2002. University of Central Lancashire

  22. Woolard CR, Irvine RL (1995) Water Res 29:1159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Korbahti BK, Salih B, Tanyolac A (2002) J Chem Technol Biotechnol 77:70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Comninellis C, Nerini A (1995) J Appl Electrochem 25:23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Streat M, Patrick JW, Perez MJC (1995) Water Res 29:467

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Juang R-S, Tseng RL, Wu FC et al (1996) Sep Sci Technol 31:1915

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Mattson JS, Mark HBJ, Malbin MD et al (1969) J Colloid Interface Sci 31:116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Vlyssides AG, Loizidou M, Karlis PK et al (1999) J Hazard Mater 70:41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Stucki S, Kotz R, Carcer B et al (1991) J Appl Electrochem 21:99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial and material support received from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UMIP Ltd, Severn Trent Water Ltd., Nykin Developments and, in particular, United Utilities Industrial for their analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences, University of Manchester, P.O. Box 88, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK

    N. W. Brown & E. P. L. Roberts

Authors
  1. N. W. Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. P. L. Roberts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. P. L. Roberts.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brown, N.W., Roberts, E.P.L. Electrochemical pre-treatment of effluents containing chlorinated compounds using an adsorbent. J Appl Electrochem 37, 1329–1335 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-007-9376-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-007-9376-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation