Electrocoagulation Using Stainless Steel Anodes: The Removal of Nitrate From Agro-Based Groundwater

This study covers groundwater treatment for nitrate (NO3-) removal by the electrocoagulation (EC) method for March (pre-irrigation) and October (post-irrigation) of 2023 for ten observation points in an arid and semi-arid region. Stainless steel (SS) plate electrodes were used in the process, and energy consumption and cost assessment were also carried out. The study area is covered with fertile agricultural lands, and the people of the region make their living from agricultural activities. Therefore, the actual groundwater samples used in the study contain high concentrations of NO3-. The effectiveness of the main operational parameters, such as initial pH, electrical conductivity, and current density, was analyzed. It was observed that nitrate removal at the highest electrical conductivity value (2239 µS/cm) had the lowest energy consumption value (0.81 kWh/m3). The SS values measured at the end of the EC process were < 0.4. In other words, the SS value passing into the water is very low and has no adverse effect on human health. In this study specific to the Harran Plain, a cost of $1.06 per m3 was calculated for nitrate removal using current electricity costs.