Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Treatment of Electroplating Industry Wastewater by Electrocoagulation using Moringa oleifera Seeds as a Natural Coagulant

Abstract

Shobha Ram and Ashish Kumar Sisodia

The quality and accessibility of drinking water is chief importance to human health. The main objective of this work was to use Moringa oleifera seeds as a natural coagulant in electrocoagulation process for the treatment of electroplating industry wastewater. It has been found that Moringa oleifera is the best bio coagulant which can replace aluminum sulphate (alum). The efficiency of Moringa oleifera seed cake in removing heavy metals ions such as chromium, copper, zinc, cobalt and lead from the wastewater sample by means of jar test followed by electrocoagulation process was very much reliable. The removal of heavy metal ions observed for Moringa oleifera seeds treated water were 79% for lead, 50% for copper and zinc, and more than 90% for chromium and cobalt, at an optimal dosage of 200 mg/L. Around 90-96% of turbidity has been reduced from the wastewater by Moringa oleifera seed cake, though it has a no glaring effect on the pH which is also an advantage. The Moringa oleifera seed treated water has been taken for the further treatment by electrocoagulation process. Concluding that, the rate of removal of pollutants linearly increased with increasing doses of seed cake. During electrocoagulation process the heavy metals like cobalt and lead was completely removed from the water sample and other heavy metal ions such as chromium, copper and zinc concentration in water sample has met the level of water standards of WHO (World Health Organization).