文摘
In this work, the electrocoagulation process using aluminum and iron electrodes has been used to treat syntheticwastewaters polluted with three different types of pollutant models: kaolin suspensions, dye solutions, andoil-in-water emulsions. It was obtained that both electrodes can achieve high efficiencies (above 80%) in thetreatment of the three wastes. However, there are strong differences in the electrochemical coagulation orbreakup mechanism that can be explained in terms of the speciation of the dissolved metals and especiallyin terms of the significant concentrations of monomeric and polymeric ionic species that appear in the treatmentwith aluminum electrodes. In every case, sweep coagulation explains the coagulation of kaolin suspensionwith both aluminum and iron electrodes. However, in the case of aluminum, the neutralization chargemechanism should also be considered for low reagent doses. The coagulation of EBT (Eriochrome Black T)solutions and the breakup of O/W emulsions (oil-in-water emulsions) have been explained by the binding ofthe pollutants to metal hydroxide precipitates. This binding is promoted for aluminum electrodes because ofthe adsorption of cationic reagent species on the surface of the aluminum hydroxide.