Removal of COD, TDS and Ammonia (NH3-N) in Produced Water with Electrochemical Using Aluminum (Al) and Iron (Fe) Electrode

Abstract

The activities of the oil and gas industry have the potential to cause pollution for the environment. This pollution can arise due to the production of petroleum processing, storage, and industries that use petroleum. Produced water is the largest liquid waste generated by these activities. The number will increase as long as a field where exploration continues to produce. In this study, an electrochemical method using Al-Fe electrodes with the addition of 1 g/L NaCl as an agent to provide chlorine as an oxidation mediator to accelerate NH3-N removal in produced water. Chemical reactions that occur during the electrochemical process as driving force, the reduction process is specific with conductive and active electrochemical substances then can manipulated with potential (voltage) and current time. A combination of an electrode is using aluminum and iron electrode plates with each thickness 0.1mm. The voltage variations during the process were 3, 6, 9, and 12V. This process is continuous, and samples are taken every 45, 90, 135, 180, and 225 minutes. The results showed percentage of COD removal is 53.14% from 430.25 mg/L to 201.6 mg/L, ammonia (NH3-N) removal is 91.64% from 17.71 mg/ L to 1,48 mg/L and TDS removal is 78.14% from 12670 mg/L to 2769 mg/L. 9V for 225 minutes during the electrochemical process is an optimum condition that can reduce contaminants in produced water, so the quality standards of Minister of Environment Regulation No.19 2010 are fulfilled. The electrochemical method was chosen to produce water treatment because the equipment required is simple and easy to operate and does not cause new waste.