Batch electrocoagulation system using aluminum and stainless steel 316 plates for hospital wastewater treatment

Abstract

Hospital wastewater is one of the most dangerous types of pollution that contaminates rivers due to the presence of pharmaceutical compounds and dyes. Antibiotic ciprofloxacin and methylene blue dyes, a hospital wastewater model, were investigated using the electrocoagulation method. This study aims to determine the optimum initial pH and time in electrolysis using the electrocoagulation method in a batch reactor system. The electrode that used is aluminum and stainless steel 316 plates. The DC power supply was set at 50 volts. Initial pH variations were 5, 7, 10, and contact time intervals were 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours. The results showed that the optimum conditions were obtained at the initial pH of 10 with a processing time of 4 hours. This condition has significant efficiency in pollutant removal from wastewater with the highest percentage of 84.60% and 68.19% for methylene blue and ciprofloxacin, respectively. A precipitated of Al(OH)3 coagulant was obtained as much as 4.77 grams. The findings in this research would be helpful for the removal of organic pollutants simultaneously in complex wastewater.