The Combination of Coagulant and Electrocoagulation in Stabilized Leachate Treatment

• Published in: International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Technology
• Main Author: Azman R.; Zin N.S.M.; Mohd Salleh S.N.A.; Rasid N.A.N.A.; Zailani L.W.M.; Akbar N.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penerbit UTHM 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85213372750&doi=10.30880%2fijscet.2024.15.03.019&partnerID=40&md5=ec0086eb74092091577f68639460ce22

The contaminated leachate production is a result of solid waste disposal that has led to a negative impact on water and the environment. Therefore, leachate treatment is necessary to solve the problem. This study was conducted to determine the removal of color, suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) for chemical coagulation alone under the influence of pH and dosage of alum, and also for combined coagulant+electrocoagulation (alum and electrocoagulation) under the effect of current density and the duration of current flow. The combination of coagulant and electrocoagulation performance in this experiment was compared with chemical coagulation. The results of this study revealed that the optimum dosage and pH for alum were 3 g/L and pH 6, respectively for chemical coagulation. The percentage removal of turbidity, color, suspended solids, COD and NH3-N by 3 g/L alum at pH 6 was 89.16%, 87.5%, 97.3%, 49.86% and 17.32%, respectively. Coagulant+eletrocoagulation was conducted by using a combination of iron electrode plates (7 cm × 5 cm × 0.1 cm) and chemical coagulant (alum) in an electrolytic cell to determine the optimum current density and the duration of current flow. The result showed that the optimum coagulant dose, current density and duration of current flow in the coagulant+electrocoagulatiom were 3 g/L alum at pH 6 and 42.86 A/m² of current density at 30 minutes duration of current flow, respectively. The percentage removal of the turbidity, color, suspended solids, COD and NH3-N by using the combination method were 93.39%, 89.47%, 96.58%, 78.05% and 44.25%, respectively. Coagulant+electrocoagulation enhanced the removal efficiency of coagulation especially for COD and NH3-N compared to one stage coagulation. Thus, the combination of coagulant and electrocoagulation method has the potential to be used in the leachate treatment. © 2024, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.