Electrochemical Treatment of Textile Waste Water with Shielded Platinised Titanium under UV Light

Abstract

The electrochemical oxidation process of textile wastewater under ultraviolet (UV) light is a promising treatment technique for substances that are resistant to biodegradation. Textile wastewater is characterized by extremely high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and strong color. In a laboratory-scale electrochemical cell, shielded platinised titanium (Pt/Ti), stainless steel (SS 304), and sodium chloride were used as anode, cathode, and electrolyte, respectively. The electrochemical treatment was carried out under UV light. Simulated textile wastewater from ten reactive dyes, which are widely used in cotton dyeing industries, was used in this experiment. Due to the strong oxidizing potential of the chemicals produced (oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and other oxidants), the BOD5, COD, TOC, and color of the wastewaters were substantially decreased. The process is based on the electrolytic and photodegradation of dyestuffs, and the parameters affecting the procedure, such as the quantity of the electrolyte, the pH, and applied potential, were researched and discussed. Temperature, current, and pH were measured online. The efficiency of the anode of the electrode was examined during the electrolytic oxidation. Color removal was evaluated by UV-vis spectrophotometer, and up to 90% color removal was achieved after 30 minutes of treatment with the addition of 5g/L NaCl and 20V applied potential.

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"This article was originally presented at the 88th Textile Institute World Conference Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, May 2012".

About the Authors:

Mohammad Kamruzzaman, Rolf-Dieter Hund & Chokri Cherif are associated with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Institute of Textile Machinery and High-Performance Material Technology, Dresden University of Technology, Germany.