Anodic oxidation of coke oven wastewater: Multiparameter optimization for simultaneous removal of cyanide, COD and phenol

• COD, phenol and cyanide were simultaneously removed by electrochemical oxidation.
• pH, current density, NaCl conc. and temperature affect the oxidation efficiency.
• Reduction in pH was observed with complete removal of ammonia from the wastewater.
• COD, phenol and cyanide degradation was maximized by multiparameter optimization.
• Operational cost at optimum conditions was calculated to be 21.4 USD m−3.

Anodic oxidation of industrial wastewater from a coke oven plant having cyanide including thiocyanate (280 mg L−1), chemical oxygen demand (COD – 1520 mg L−1) and phenol (900 mg L−1) was carried out using a novel PbO2 anode. From univariate optimization study, low NaCl concentration, acidic pH, high current density and temperature were found beneficial for the oxidation. Multivariate optimization was performed with cyanide including thiocyanate, COD and phenol removal efficiencies as a function of changes in initial pH, NaCl concentration and current density using Box-Behnken experimental design. Optimization was performed for maximizing the removal efficiencies of these three parameters simultaneously. The optimum condition was obtained as initial pH 3.95, NaCl as 1 g L−1 and current density of 6.7 mA cm−2, for which the predicted removal efficiencies were 99.6%, 86.7% and 99.7% for cyanide including thiocyanate, COD and phenol respectively. It was in agreement with the values obtained experimentally as 99.1%, 85.2% and 99.7% respectively for these parameters. The optimum conditions with initial pH constrained to a range of 6–8 was initial pH 6, NaCl as 1.31 g L−1 and current density as 6.7 mA cm−2. The predicted removal efficiencies were 99%, 86.7% and 99.6% for the three parameters. The efficiencies obtained experimentally were in agreement at 99%, 87.8% and 99.6% respectively. The cost of operation for degradation at optimum conditions was calculated as 21.4 USD m−3.

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