Using electro- and alum coagulation technologies for treatment of wastewater from fruit juice industry in New Damietta City, Egypt.

Abstract

Electrocoagulation technology is being increasingly used to treat various types of wastewater over the last several years. This study aimed to investigate the industrial wastewater treatment of a fruit juice factory as an example of food processing industries in New Damietta City, Egypt, by using electrocoagulation technology. This is to solve an environmental problem, represented in the high organic load of these effluents. The electrocoagulation treatment processes were examined by using two electrodes of aluminum (Al) and two electrodes of stainless-steel (SS) and also by using Al as an anode and SS as a cathode. In addition, treatment by alum coagulation was investigated. Results showed that electrocoagulation was more effective than alum coagulation. The use of two combined electrodes of Al as an anode and SS as a cathode resulted in an 83.78% COD removal efficiency, while the use of the alum coagulant yielded 57.57%. Furthermore, total operating cost was calculated, and the amount of hydrogen gas as a subsequent energy alternative was theoretically determined in order to solve the process' power problem.