Analysis of Electrocoagulation Efficiency in the Simultaneous Removal of Pb, Cd, and Ni Under Various pH Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32493/jitk.v10i2.60223Keywords:
Electrocoagulation, pH, Pb, Cd, NiAbstract
Heavy metal pollution originating from industrial activities, such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni), poses toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulative risks that threaten both environmental quality and human health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pH variation on the simultaneous removal efficiency of Pb, Cd, and Ni using the electrocoagulation process, to determine the optimum pH condition, and to evaluate the process energy consumption. Synthetic wastewater containing an initial concentration of 20 mg/L for each metal was treated in a 2-L acrylic batch reactor equipped with six aluminum electrodes arranged in a parallel monopolar configuration. The electrocoagulation process was conducted at a voltage of 20 V, a current of 4 A (26 mA/cm²), and an operating time of 60 minutes under varying pH conditions of 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Metal concentrations were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), while COD was determined according to the applicable standard analytical method. The results demonstrated that pH variation significantly affected the removal efficiency of heavy metals. The optimum condition was achieved at pH 9, resulting in removal efficiencies of 99.35% for Pb, 99.05% for Cd, and 99.72% for Ni. The specific energy consumption was 40 kWh/m³ across all pH variations. These findings indicate that electrocoagulation is an effective method for the simultaneous removal of Pb, Cd, and Ni from wastewater.
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