REMOVAL OF REACTIVE BLACK DYE RB-5 FROM SYNTHETIC WASTEWATER BY ELECTROCOAGULATION TECHNIQUE

Abstract

Decolonization of azo dye Reactive Black 5 (RB-5) from synthetic wastewater was studied using Electrocoagulation (EC) technique. The effect of operating parameters such as initial pH, conductivity, inter-electrode distance, current density, and time of electrolysis was studied in an attempt to reach higher removal efficiency. Initially, a simple electrochemical cell was prepared with an anode and a cathode made from iron. Then the effect of each variable was studied separately using synthetic wastewater in a batch mode. Under the conditions of an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, initial pH of 4, the current density of 250 A/cm², conductivity 6 ms/cm, the temperature of 25±2^oC, the interelectrode distance of 0.6 cm, and time of electrolysis 10 min the color removal efficiency reached 99.4%. Electrical energy consumption in the above conditions for the decolorization of the black dye was 0.75 kWh/m³.