Decolorization and Mineralization of Real Textile Wastewater Using Electrogenerated Hydrogen Peroxide in the Presence of Copper Ion

Background and Indirect electro-oxidation method with H2O2 electrogeneration is an electrochemical process for wastewater treatment based on the production of hydroxyl radicals by means of H2O2 generation in the presence of transition metals such as copper. The electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide process was performed in an open and undivided cell to be assessed for degradation of real textile wastewater using graphite felt (cathode) and Pt (anode) in the presence of copper ions. The effect of major parameters such as dissolved oxygen concentration, initial pH, applied current, copper concentration and time reaction on the decolorization was investigated. 67.9% decolorization and 56.3% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were achieved after 210 minutes reaction under the conditions 7.8-7.9 mg/l dissolved oxygen, 250 mA applied current, 7 mM copper concentration and pH=4. The electrogenrated H2O2 process in presence of copper ions could degrade real textile wastewater. Moreover, due to generation of hydrogen peroxide, this process can be economically important.