The Effect of Operational Variables on the Performance of Electrochemical Water Treatment for Drinking Purposes

Abstract

Electrochemical processes have emerged as novel, convenient, and highly efficient water treatment techniques for the elimination of a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological contaminants from the water. The challenge in designing and scaling up the electrochemical systems lies in the selection of electrode material and suitable operating conditions. This study investigates the effect of three operational variables including treatment time, current density, and inter- electrode spacing on the quality parameters of drinking water. The results show that the technique effectively reduces the level of suspended and dissolved solids. Increasing either operating time or current density and decreasing the interelectrode spacing has a beneficial role in the treatment performance. Further, the ions produced during the electrolysis process can disinfect the biological contaminants thus making the water suitable for drinking purposes. The need for stable electrode materials for the successful application of the treatment method has also been discussed.