Electrochemical Wastewater Treatment: Oxidation of Persistent Wastewater Constituents

Electrochemical wastewater treatment: Oxidation of persistent wastewater constituents

D. Woisetschläger¹⁾, B. Humpl¹⁾, M. Koncar¹⁾, W. Glasl¹, M. Siebenhofer²⁾

¹⁾ VTU Engineering GmbH, Parkring 18, A-8074 Grambach/Graz

²⁾ Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Graz University of Technology

Inffeldgasse 25/C/II, A-8010 Graz

In recent years a great progress has been made in the development of electrochemical wastewater treatment (EAOP) with the aim to provide a universal method for the degradation of persistent water constituents. Anodic oxidation of organic substances with boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes has demonstrated its high potential for the removal of pollutants. Especially the combination of physical or biological technologies with electrochemical wastewater treatment systems have a great potential.

Boron-doped diamond electrodes prove to be a highly appropriate electrode in terms of oxidation power, application and stability. Full scale electrolysis cells for industrial applications equipped with a maximum BDD-electrode area of 3,6 m² were constructed and installed. With this electrode configuration the purification of a variety of industrial wastewaters was successful. Several full scale electrolysis cells were installed at customers site and demonstrate that the electrochemical wastewater treatment is a highly reliable technology for manifold industries.