Statistical Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Electrocoagulation Using Iron Electrodes for the Treatment of Leachate Effluent

Electrocoagulation is a technique that utilizes electric current to induce oxidation–reduction reactions, forming hydroxides that act as coagulating agents for contaminant removal. In this study, electrocoagulation was applied to treat leachate effluent. Leachate contains high organic and inorganic loads and is the liquid phase formed by water percolating through decomposing waste accumulated in a landfill. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of electrocoagulation in removing certain pollutants from leachate effluent. A statistical experimental design was developed, employing a 32 factorial design in duplicate. The independent variables were treatment time (min.) and initial pH, while the dependent variables were apparent color (uH), turbidity (uT), final pH, and conductivity (mS). At the end of the treatments, the results indicated an 89% reduction in turbidity and a 99% reduction in apparent color. The conductivity remained around 20 mS, and the final pH was slightly basic. Based on the presented results, it can be observed that electrocoagulation shows potential as an effective technique for treating leachate effluent.