Electrocoagulation/electroflotation of real printing wastewater using copper electrodes: A comparative study with aluminum electrodes

Most studies investigated electrocoagulation/electroflotation process (EC/EF) using either aluminum or iron electrodes. The main aim of this study is to investigate the performance of EC/EF to treat printing wastewater under various experimental conditions using copper electrodes. The effects of several variables, including different electrode materials (copper and aluminum), different current densities, electrolysis time, and spacing between electrodes on the removal efficiency of various parameters were investigated. The results showed that the maximum removal efficiencies for COD,TDS, and oil and grease were obtained when using a copper electrode. The maximum removal efficiencies were obtained at a gap distance of 4 cm.