Ultrasonic (US)-Assisted Electrocoagulation (EC) Process for Oil and Grease (O&G) Removal from Restaurant Wastewater

Abstract

Restaurant wastewater contains a high concentration of O&G, up to 3434 mg/L. This study aims to (a) assess the efficiency of EC combined with US methods for O&G removal in restaurant wastewater, (b) identify the optimum condition for COD degradation using EC treatment via response surface methodology (RSM), and (c) determine the morphological surface of the aluminium (Al) electrode before and after EC treatment. The wastewater samples were collected from the Lembaran cafeteria at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The efficiency of EC, US, and US-EC, combined methods for O&G removal, was investigated using a batch reactor (pH 7). The interelectrode distance (ID, 2–6 cm), electrolysis time (T, 15–35 min), and current density (CD, 40–80 A/m2) were analysed, followed by RSM. The response variables were O&G (1000 mg/L) and chemical oxygen demand (COD low range, 1000 mg/L). The central composite design (CCD) with a quadratic model was used to appraise the effects and interactions of these parameters. The morphological surface of the electrode used was observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimum removal efficiencies obtained were 95.4% (O&G) and 75.9% (COD) (ID: 2.4 cm, T: 30.5 min, and CD: 53.2 A/m2). The regression line fitted the data (R2 O&G: 0.9838, and R2 COD: 0.9558). The SEM images revealed that the use of US was useful in minimising cavitation on the electrode surface, which could lower the EC treatment efficacy. The US-EC combined technique is highly recommended for O&G removal from the food industry’s wastewater.