Using Ti/Ti0.7Ru0.3O2 anode-type with a Flow Cell System for the Electrochemical Treatment of a Tannery Wastewater

ABSTRACT The electrochemical oxidation of a real wastewater discharged by the baths of “Dar Dbagh” tannery (DDT) in Fez city (Morocco) was performed using Ti/Ti0.7Ru0.3O2 anode (a dimensionally stable anode (DSA)-type electrode) underflow condition. The effect of different operational parameters, namely chloride ions concentration, electrolysis time, current density, initial pH, and temperature has been studied in detail. The discoloration and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal have been taken as the key experimental indicators to monitor the electrochemical treatment process of DDT wastewater. The obtained results have shown that the best degradation rates (i.e., 100% and 56% of de-colorization and COD removal, respectively) were accomplished under acidic conditions at 20 mA cm−2 as a current density in the presence of 0.033 M Na2SO4 + 0.800 M NaCl as supporting electrolyte at room temperature. The maximum reduction of the effluent COD attained using Ti/Ti0.7Ru0.3O2 anode consuming 39.24 kWh per m3 clearly shows that DSA electrodes could be a good alternative for the remediation of DDT effluents.