Removal of phosphate from River water using a new baffle plates electrochemical reactor.

During the last 50 years, the human activities have significantly altered the natural cycle of phosphate in this planet, causing phosphate to accumulate in the freshwater ecosystems of some countries to at least 75% greater than preindustrial levels, which indicates an urgent need to develop efficient phosphate treatment methods. Therefore, the current study investigates the removal of phosphate from river water using a new electrochemical cell (PBPR). This new cell utilises perforated baffle plates as a water mixer rather than magnetic stirrers that require power to work. This study investigates the influence of key operational parameters such as initial pH (ipH), current density (Ј), inter-electrode distance (ID), detention time (t) and initial phosphate concentration (IC) on the removal efficiency, and influence of the electrocoagulation process on the morphology of the surface of electrodes. Overall, the results showed that the new reactor was efficient enough to reduce the concentration of phosphate to the permissible limits. Additionally, SEM images showed that the Al anode became rough and nonuniform due to the production of aluminium hydroxides. The main advantages of the electrocoagulation technique are: •The EC method does not produce secondary pollutants as it does not required chemical additives, while other traditional treatment methods required either chemical or biological additives [[1], [2], [3], [4]].•It has a large treatment capacity and a relatively short treatment time in comparison with other treatment methods, such as the biological methods [1,[5], [6], [7]].•The EC method produces less sludge than traditional treatment traditional chemical and biological treatment methods [8,9]. EC technology, like any other treatment method, has some drawbacks that could limit its performance. For instance, it still has a clear deficiency in the variety of reactor design, and the electrodes should be periodically replaced as they dissolve into the solution due to the oxidation process [2,10].

Defluoridation of drinking water using a new flow column-electrocoagulation reactor (FCER) - Experimental, statistical, and economic approach.

A new batch, flow column electrocoagulation reactor (FCER) that utilises a perforated plate flow column as a mixer has been used to remove fluoride from drinking water. A comprehensive study has been carried out to assess its performance. The efficiency of fluoride removal (R%) as a function of key operational parameters such as initial pH, detention time (t), current density (CD), inter-electrode distance (ID) and initial concentration (C0) has been examined and an empirical model has been developed. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of the influence of the EC process on morphology of the surface of the aluminium electrodes, showed the erosion caused by aluminium loss. A preliminary estimation of the reactor's operating cost is suggested, allowing for the energy from recycling of hydrogen gas hydrogen gas produced amount. The results obtained showed that 98% of fluoride was removed within 25 min of electrolysis at pH of 6, ID of 5 mm, and CD of 2 mA/cm2. The general relationship between fluoride removal and operating parameters could be described by a linear model with R2 of 0.823. The contribution of the operating parameters to the suggested model followed the order: t > CD > C0 > ID > pH. The SEM images obtained showed that, after the EC process, the surface of the anodes, became non-uniform with a large number of irregularities due to the generation of aluminium hydroxides. It is suggested that these do not materially affect the performance. A provisional estimate of the operating cost was 0.379 US $/m3. Additionally, it has been found that 0.6 kW/m3 is potentially recoverable from the H2 gas.