Electrocoagulation in wastewater containing arsenic: Comparing different process designs

Arsenic removal from wastewater is a key problem for copper smelters. This work shows results of electrocoagulation of aqueous solutions containing arsenic with three different process designs and operating parameters. Three types of electrocoagulation reactors were tested and compared: (a) a modified flow continuous reactor. (b) a turbulent flow reactor and (c) an airlift reactor. All used iron as sacrificial anodes. The results showed that the electrocoagulation process of a 100 mg/L As(V) solution could decrease the arsenic concentration to less than 2 mg/L in the effluent with a current density of 1.2 A/dm2 with both the modified flow and the airlift reactor. The removal of arsenic with the turbulent flow reactor did not reach the same level but the Fe-to-As ratio (mol/mol) achieved in the coagulation process was in this case lower (approximately 7) than with the other two reactors. In addition, it seems that increasing the current density beyond a maximum value, the electrocoagulation process would not improve any further. This could probably be explained by passivation of the anode.