Treatment of olive mill wastewater using electrocoagulation process

Abstract

The aim of this study is to treat olives mill wastewater (OMWW) electrochemically in an aluminum electrode reactor, in order to oxidize the organic matter, discolour the reject, neutralize the pH and consequently reduce the pollutant power of this wastewater. It was found that the increase in electrolysis time and the intensity of the current significantly improved the treatment performance. However, simultaneous energy consumption and electrodes were observed. The results of these analyses showed that thirty‐fold diluted margins are acid (pH 5.02) and high electricly conductive (Conductivity 14.89 ms/cm). The evolution of the physicochemical parameters during the electrocoagulation (EC) treatment shows that under the conditions of an electrolysis time of 3 h and a current intensity of 3A (corresponds to 416 A/m2), the discoloration of the margins diluted ten times is arround 91 %. The reduction of the lost mass of the electrodes is 0.55 kg/m3 and the reduction of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) is 50%. These optimal operational levels allow a good treatment performance. The results have established good potentiality of the EC as an efficient method for discoloration of OMWW and the reduction of COD