Corrugated iron sheets for electrocoagulation of sulphate ions in industrial effluents

Abstract

High sulphate concentrations in industrial effluents damage municipality infrastructures. Old corrugated iron was used as an electrode to remove SO42-concentration in industrial effluents. Electrodes were characterized using SEM and EDS. The optimised parameters were pH 2, 3000 ​ppm, 15 V and 120 min. In an industrial effluent, 99% of SO42- was removed including PO42-, F- and COD. The sulphates were physically adsorbed on Zn and Fe hydroxides according to first order kinetics. The corrugated iron is reusable and consumed low energy (0.1725 ​kWh/m3).

Keywords

• Industrial effluents
• Water treatment
• Electrode platform
• Sulphate concentration
• Municipality water