Black Iron Electrode/Persulfate System: A Reduction Method for Ammonia, Oil and Grease, TSS, and COD Content of Septage Wastewater via Electrocoagulation

Septage wastewater is rich in ammonia that could harm human health and the environment if released in nature untreated. Recently, we reported the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electrocoagulation in treating septage wastewater. An antioxidant like persulfate could act as electron shuttles (ES) and could potentially improve the electrochemical reaction of electrocoagulation (EC) in treating wastewater. Thus, in this research, a black iron electrode with a persulfate additive was considered in the electrocoagulation treatment of septage wastewater and several parameters was monitored through time. EC-treated samples were NH3 and TSS-free after 60 min. Likewise, COD and oil and grease were reduced to 76.30% and 91.63% respectively. Compared to our previous study, the use of persulfate additive improved the pollutants removal and the process is more cost-effective due to a lesser electrode consumption (0.25%).