Application of Electrodes for Degradation of Reactive Dyes in the Case of Textile Industry Wastewater

Ethiopia’s textile industry plays a pivotal role in bolstering the nation’s economy by generating foreign currency, substituting imports, and creating numerous jobs. However, it is also a significant source of water pollution due to its substantial wastewater discharge. This research focuses on the electrochemical degradation process to breakdown reactive dyes in the effluent from the textile sector. A comprehensive factorial experimental design was employed to scrutinize the data and determine optimal conditions for the independent variables, thereby elucidating the primary influences and the interplay affecting the outcome variable. Water pollution, however, is mostly caused by the textile industry’s massive wastewater production. Electrochemical degradation is a green technique that drastically minimizes the amount of chemicals used in the effluent, leaving no contaminants behind. The NaCl electrolyte concentrations of 2, 4.5, and 5.8 g/L, the pH levels of 4.2, 5.8, and 6.9, and the reaction periods of 12.4, 15.5, and 20 min were used as three factors with three levels. With an optimized reaction duration of 17.0 min, a pH of 6.9, and a NaCl electrolyte concentration of 5.1 g/L, the electrochemical degradation method was able to remove 94.89% of the dyes.