Removal of reactive black dye RB-5 from synthetic wastewater by electrocoagulation technique

Abstract EN

Decolonization of azo dye Reactive Black 5 (RB-5) from synthetic wastewater was studied using Electrocoagulation (EC) technique.

The effect of operating parameters such as initial pH, conductivity, inter electrode distance, current density, and time of electrolysis was studied in an attempt to reach higher removal efficiency.

Initially, a simple electrochemical cell was prepared with an anode and a cathode made from iron.

Then the effect of each variable was studied separately using synthetic wastewater in a batch mode.

Under the conditions of an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, initial pH of 4, current density of 250 A/cm2 , conductivity 6 ms/cm, temperature of 25±2 oC, interelectrode distance of 0.6 cm, and time of electrolysis 10 min the color removal efficiency reached 99.4%.

Electrical energy consumption in the above conditions for the decolorization of the black dye was 0.75 kWh/m3 .