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Sono assisted electrocoagulation process for the removal of pollutant from pulp and paper industry effluent

  • Water Reclamation and Reuse
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Abstract

In the present work, the efficiency of the sonication, electrocoagulation, and sono-electrocoagulation process for removal of pollutants from the industrial effluent of the pulp and paper industry was compared. The experimental results showed that the sono-electrocoagulation process yielded higher pollutant removal percentage compared to the sonication and electrocoagulation process alone. The effect of the operating parameters in the sono-electrocoagulation process such as electrolyte concentration (1–5 g/L), current density (1–5 A/dm2), effluent pH (3–11), COD concentration (1500–6000 mg/L), inter-electrode distance (1–3 cm), and electrode combination (Fe and Al) on the color removal, COD removal, and power consumption were studied. The maximum color and COD removal percentages of 100 and 95 %, respectively, were obtained at the current density of 4 A/dm2, electrolyte concentration of 4 g/L, effluent pH of 7, COD concentration of 3000 mg/L, electrode combination of Fe/Fe, inter-electrode distance of 1 cm, and reaction time of 4 h, respectively. The color and COD removal percentages were analyzed by using an UV/Vis spectrophotometer and closed reflux method. The results showed that the sono-electrocoagulation process could be used as an efficient and environmental friendly technique for complete pollutant removal.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the University of Malaya High Impact Research Grant (HIR-MOHE-D000037-16001) from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia which financially supported this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    P. Asaithambi, Abdul Raman Abdul Aziz, Baharak Sajjadi & Wan Mohd Ashri Bin Wan Daud

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  1. P. Asaithambi
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  2. Abdul Raman Abdul Aziz
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  3. Baharak Sajjadi
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  4. Wan Mohd Ashri Bin Wan Daud
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Correspondence to P. Asaithambi or Abdul Raman Abdul Aziz.

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Responsible editor: Bingcai Pan

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Asaithambi, P., Aziz, A.R.A., Sajjadi, B. et al. Sono assisted electrocoagulation process for the removal of pollutant from pulp and paper industry effluent. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 5168–5178 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6909-5

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