Abstract:
The objective of this research was to study heavy metals removal from industrial wastewater sludge by electrokinetic process. This study used laboratory scale reactor containing contaminated sludge. Both the anode and cathode were graphite electrodes. In the experiment electrical field was applied across sludge column transport in order to heavy metals toward the electrodes. Voltage was varied at 1, 1.5 and 2 v/cm. Reaction time was varied from 3 to 7 day. Tap water and acetic acid were used as process fluid. Afterwards, the quantity and fraction of heavy metals before and after treatment was analyzed by 3 methods. The first method was microwave digestion for totals metals, the second method was Waste Extraction Test (WET) and the third method was sequential extraction for fractionated metals. The removal efficiencies of heavy metals when tap water was used as process fluid at 2 v/cm flow rate have highest efficiencies. The efficiency decreases as the tap water flow rate decreases. Electric current have an effect to heavy metals removal. When process fluid was changed to acetic acid the removal efficiencies increase. This resulted of the water electrolysis reaction in the cathode was neutralized by acetic acid. Moreover, the removal efficiency of the fractions of heavy metals depends on their mobility as follows: water soluble > exchangeable > bounded to carbonate > bounded to Fe oxide and bounded to Mn oxide > bounded to organic matter and sulfide > residual. After the experiment, pH of sludge was changed because higher OH- near cathode, and higher H+ near anode. Electrical current decreased with time because electrolysis reaction generated hydroxide precipitate, blocking transport of electron.