Optimization of electrochemical reaction for nitrogen removal from biological secondary-treated milking centre wastewater

ABSTRACT

In order to remove the residual nitrogen from the secondary-treated milking centre wastewater, the electrochemical reaction including NH₄-N oxidation and NO_x-N reduction has been known as a relatively simple technique. Through the present study, the electrochemical reactor using the Ti-coated IrO₂ anode and stainless steel cathode was optimized for practical use on farm. The key operational parameters [electrode area (EA) (cm²/L), current density (CD) (A/cm²), electrolyte concentration (EC) (mg/L as NaCl), and reaction time (RT) (min)] were selected and their effects were evaluated using response surface methodology for the responses of nitrogen and colour removal efficiencies, and power consumption. The experimental design was followed for the central composite design as a fractional factorial design. As a result of the analysis of variance, the p-values of the second-order polynomial models for three responses were significantly fit to the empirical values. The nitrogen removal was significantly influenced by CD, EC, and RT (p < .05), whereas colour removal was significantly governed by EA, CD, RT, the interaction of EA and EC (p < .05). For higher efficiency of nitrogen removal over 90%, the combination of [EA, 20 cm²/L; CD, 0.044 A/cm²; EC, 3.87 g/L as NaCl; RT, 240 min] was revealed as an optimal operational condition. The investigation on cathodic reduction of NO_x-N may be required with respect to nitrite and nitrate separately as a future work.

KEYWORDS:

• Electrochemical reaction
• electrode area
• current density
• electrolyte concentration
• response surface methodology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research had been funded by the Rural Development Administration Project, PJ009392, Korea and partially supported (520150145) by Kangwon National University.