Usuwanie ortofosforanów ze ścieków syntetycznych o neutralnym i alkalicznym odczynie z wykorzystaniem metody roztwarzania metali i elektrokoagulacji

The main objective of this paper was to compare efficiency of electrocoagulation and metal dissolution methods in orthophosphate removal from synthetic wastewater at 7.0 and 8.0 pH. The research was conducted with usage of steel electrodes with 1414 cm2 contact surface, which were corroding and releasing iron ions responsible for orthophosphate precipitation. The electrocoagulation process with alkaline wastewater (8.0 pH) was additionally using a direct electrical current with intensity of 0.1 A and voltage of 1.5 V. Changes of the pH value, orthophosphate and iron ions content were also measured. Obtained results show, that wastewater treatment from orthophosphate with electrocoagulation takes place much faster than with metal dissolution method. Complete orthophosphate removal (starting concentration was 10.5 mg P/dm3) with electrocoagulation process occurred after 415 minutes of research, when metal dissolution method obtained the same effect after 1445 minutes. In the wastewater with starting 7.0 pH and with electrocoagulation, the total dephosphatation occurred after 1440 min, but the metal dissolution method after this time ensure only 37% reduction in the orthophosphate concentration. The pH value of treated wastewater increased during the every study. The most noticeable increase was while using electrocoagulation process, which attained 11.1 pH (wastewater with starting 8.0 pH) and 10.8 pH (wastewater with starting 7.0 pH) after 1440 minutes. Applying the metal dissolution method increase in pH was lower, was respectively 8.8 pH and 8.6 pH. Concentration of iron ions concentration also increased in treated wastewater. In the wastewater with starting 8.0 pH, from 0.00 mg Fe/dm3 to 0.16 mg Fe/dm3 with metal dissolution method and 0.00 mg Fe/dm3 to 0.46 mg Fe/dm3 with electrocoagulation. In the wastewater with starting 7.0 pH, the maximum observed total iron concentration was 0.04 mg Fe/dm3. Electrocoagulation method turned out to be more effective in orthophosphate removal from wastewater than metal dissolution method, which occurred in shorter time needed for dephosphatation. However it requires a more consumables funding related to the use of energy and electrodes wearing faster.