Removal of phthalate ester (Di-ethyl phthalate) from industrial wastewater using electrocoagulation process as a green technology

Phthalate esters (PAEs), commonly known as phthalates, are produced all over the world in large quantities. Commonly, PAEs are used primarily as plasticizers for plastics, dope and paint industry, and also in the manufacture of insecticide carriers and propellants. The presence of phthalates in the environment and especially in surface waters and sediments is a major environmental concern. Their presence in the environment is a major environmental hazard since some phthalates are suspected of being carcinogenic and/or endocrine disruptors. The aim of this work was to study Diethyl phthalate (DEP) removal by a water treatment process based on the electrocoagulation (EC). The effects of four operating parameters including initial DEP concentration, pH solution, current density, and reaction time evaluated by applying response surface methodology (RSM) using the central composite design (CCD). Under optimized condition, according to the RSM results, maximum removal efficiency and minimum electrical energy consumption (EEC) of 96.2% and 0.342 kWh.m-3 were obtained, respectively at 23 min at the initial DEP concentration of 3.5 mg.L-1, pH solution of 7.5, and current density of 4.7 mA.cm-2. The equilibrium data for DEP removal were better fitted to the Langmueir model (R2= 0.9960), while the model of pseudo-second-order could well describe the kinetics of adsorption (AIC values of -10.13). According to the study, EC process can be considered as a choice for economical treatment of polluted effluents of the industrial wastewater.

Keywords:

Di-ethyl phthalate , Electrocoagulation , Removal , Green technology , Industrial wastewater