Electrocoagulacion

Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Vol. 7, No. 1, 11-20, 2011

ISSN: 1814-8085

ELECTROCOAGULATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER
FOR REUSE IN IRRIGATION AND PLANTATION
*Muhammad Saleem1, Alaadin A. Bukhari2 and Muhammad Noman Akram1
Karachi Institute of Power Engineering (KINPOE), KNPC, Karachi, Pakistan
2
Centre for Environment and Water, The Research Institute, King FahdUniversity of Petroleum & Minerals,
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
1

Abstract
Growing water scarcity in Pakistan is compelling people to use the treated wastewater at least for landscape irrigation
and plantation to augment available water resources. In the present study, a laboratory scale electrocoagulation (EC)
process was utilized to treat the raw wastewater in order to bring the quality up to theinternational wastewater reuse
standards. Effect of various operating parameters such as operating time, current density and inter-electrode spacing was
evaluated to achieve the maximum possible treatment efficiency. It was found that the application of 24.7 mA/cm2
current density with an inter-electrode spacing of 5 cm may provide 91.8%, 77.2% and 68.5% removal in turbidity, COD
and TSS within 30minutes of EC treatment. The quality of treated wastewater was compared with various international
standards/guidelines for wastewater reuse. It was found that the studied parameters such as BOD, COD, TDS, TSS,
turbidity, NO3-N, NH3-N, chloride, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, sulfate, total phosphorus, electrical conductivity Oil and Grease (O
& G) and total coliform (TC) were within allowable limits.Electrical conductivity, TDS and Sodium Adsorption Ratio
(SAR) are mainly used for the determination of wastewater suitability for safe irrigation. Their values do not exceed the
international wastewater reuse standards. The study shows that the raw wastewater generated at the study site after EC
treatment is safe for landscape irrigation and plantation.
Keywords: Electrocoagulation, Wastewater,Removal efficiency, Operating parameters
INTRODUCTION
Water is essential to sustain life on the biosphere.
However; with the increasing population and industrial
growth, its resources are becoming limited and/or
contaminated. Due to growing demand globally more than
a billion people lack access to sufficient water of good
quality. Studies reported that one third of the world’s
population willexperience severe water scarcity within
the next 20 years (CGIAR, 2002). Rapid urbanization and
high population growth in major cities of Pakistan has led
to a deterioration of living conditions. Problems are
compounded as most of the fresh water resources are
severely polluted with untreated industrial and municipal
wastes (Malik, 2005).
Solution to Augment water Resources
Among otherwater management alternatives, the reuse of
treated wastewater gained considerable attention (Saleem,
2009; Ruma and Sheikh, 2010). The treated wastewater
has several advantages over other sources of water, it
minimizes pollution, augments groundwater resources by
artificial recharge and it is a good nutrient source for
landscape and farm irrigation (Saleem et al., 2000). While
wastewaterreuse in agriculture has been taking place for
centuries, in countries like Mexico, Vietnam and China
(Shuval et al., 1986). It is now receiving renewed
*Corresponding author: E-mail: i_am_saleem@yahoo.com

recognition as a potential water source under conditions
of increased freshwater scarcity. In many Middle Eastern
and Asian countries, the reuse of wastewater is now a
common practice.Wastewater may be used in agricultural
sector especially for landscape irrigation and plantation
(Al Salem and Abouzaid, 2006).
Limitations of Wastewater Reuse
Wastewater carries a wide spectrum of pathogenic
organisms, which pose risk to agricultural workers, crop
handlers and consumers (Al-Malack et al., 2002; Saleem
et al., 2000, 2003; Saleem, 2009). High levels of nitrogen
in wastewater...