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Electrochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium ions from leachate of leather industrial waste using a modified carbon paste electrode

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Abstract

The present study focuses on removing hexavalent chromium ions from the leachate of the leather industrial waste dump by batch and continuous electro-reduction techniques using a bio-composite electrode. In the batch study, working parameters such as applied potential, solution pH, reduction time, and initial metal ion concentration were optimized. Based on the experimental results from the batch study, a continuous study has been performed for different flow rate, initial metal ion concentration, and applied potential as parameters. The pH of the solution was maintained constant at 2 throughout the continuous process. The effect of scan rate (0.07 to 0.12 V/s), initial metal ion concentration (10 to 40 mg/L), and lower level of detection (LLOD) of Cr(VI) ions was investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The behavior of electrodes and electrolytes at various temperatures were also studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), chronoamperometry, and chronocolumetry. The highest removal percentage achieved from the electro-reduction process was found to be due to the interaction between the bio-composite electrode and Cr(VI) ions under an electrochemical non-faradic process.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support of National Institute of Technology Calicut, India, KSCSTE, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Project (Ref No: ETP/16/2015/KSCSTE) and DST, SERB (Ref No.:EEQ/2018/001261).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, Kerala, India

    P. Mohanraj, S. Bhuvaneshwari, J. Amala & S. P. Aravind

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  1. P. Mohanraj
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  2. S. Bhuvaneshwari
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  3. J. Amala
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  4. S. P. Aravind
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Correspondence to S. Bhuvaneshwari.

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Editorial responsibility: Fatih ŞEN.

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Mohanraj, P., Bhuvaneshwari, S., Amala, J. et al. Electrochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium ions from leachate of leather industrial waste using a modified carbon paste electrode. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 20, 6161–6174 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04266-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04266-w

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