Author(s)

Dushyant Kumar, Vivek Kumar Gaurav, Chhaya Sharma^*

Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Paper Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Saharanpur Campus, Saharanpur, India.

In the present study pulp and paper industry effluent was treated with the help of aluminum electrode using electrocoagulation (EC) process with feasible sludge management. The influences of pH, time, current density and electrolytes dose were investigated and optimum conditions were established to reduce the maximum amount of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and color. At optimum conditions 70% of COD and 98% of color were removed. Additionally, the behavior of electrolytes (NaCl and Na₂SO₄) was determined; it has shown that Na₂SO₄ results in the generation of less secondary pollutants than that NaCl and thereby could be used as better replacement in paper industries for electrocoagulation mediated treatment of wastewater. The residual amount of operational parameters in EC treated water was compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India. It was found to be safe for utilization in irrigation. Furthermore, sludge produced during the EC process has been analyzed for physicochemical characteristics. To understand the physical and elemental phases of sludge, the analytical technique such as field emission electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy has been used to find out the possible management alternative.

Pulp and Paper Wastewater, Electrocoagulation, Reuse, Irrigation, Sustainable Sludge Management

Kumar, D. , Gaurav, V. and Sharma, C. (2018) Ecofriendly Remediation of Pulp and Paper Industry Wastewater by Electrocoagulation and Its Application in Agriculture. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 9, 2462-2479. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2018.912178.