The Effect of Initial pH on Pistachio Processing Industrial Wastewater Pre-treatment by Electrocoagulation Method

In this study, removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenols (TP) from pistachio processing industry wastewater was investigated using electrocoagulation method. COD and TP removal efficiencies were compared considering wastewater initial pH by using stainless steel cathodes and aluminum anodes. To determine the effect of initial pH on removal efficiency, 4, 5.2 (original wastewater pH), 6 and 7 pH were investigated. Results showed that optimum values of operating variables wastewater initial pH was 5.2 for COD removal efficiency and 7 for TF removal efficiency. Removal of COD of pH 5.2 up has increased. Removal of COD began to decrease at higher pH values than the original pH value. TF removal efficiency increased with increasing pH. The pH values at the obtained the highest energy consumption value was the original pH. The energy consumption value were decreased above and below the original pH value. The highest removal efficiencies for COD and TF were %60 and %95, respectively under operating conditions as 25 ml/min flow rate and 20 A current intensity. Keywords-electrocoagulation; initial pH; removal efficiency; aluminum anode