Electrochemical oxidative degradation of indigo wastewater based on chlorine-containing system

Abstract

PurposeIn this study, the oxidative degradation performance of indigo wastewater based on electrochemical systems was explored. The decolourization degrees, removal rate of chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand of the indigo wastewater after degradation were evaluated and optimized treatment conditions being obtained.Design/methodology/approachThe single factor method was first used to select the electrolyte system and electrode materials. Then the response surface analysis based on Box–Behnken Design was chosen to determine the influence of four independent variables such as FeCl3 concentration, NaCl concentration, decolourization time and voltage on the degradation efficiency.FindingsOn the basis of single factor experiment, the electrode material of stainless steel was selected in the double cell, and the indigo wastewater was electrolyzed with FeCl3 and NaCl electrolytes. The process conditions of electrochemical degradation of indigo wastewater were optimized by response surface analysis: the concentration of FeCl3 and NaCl was of 16 and 9 g/L, respectively, with a decolourization time of 50 min, voltage of 10 V and decolourization percentage of 98.94. The maximum removal rate of chemical oxygen demand reached 75.46 per cent. The highest ratio of B/C was 3.77, which was considered to be more biodegradable.Research limitations/implicationsDyeing wastewater is bringing out more and more pollution problems to the environment. However, there are some shortcomings in traditional technologies such as adsorption and filtration. As a kind of efficient and clean water treatment technology, electrochemical oxidation has been applied to the treatments of various types of wastewater. The decolourization and degradation of indigo wastewater is taken as an example to provide reference for the treatment of wastewater in actual plants.Practical implicationsThe developed method provided a simple and practical solution for efficiently degrading indigo wastewater.Originality/valueThe method for the electrochemical oxidation technology was novel and could find numerous applications in the degradation of printing and dyeing wastewater.