Removal of Arsenic from Wastewaters by Airlift Electrocoagulation. Part 2: Continuous Reactor Experiments

Abstract Arsenic removal from wastewater is a key problem for copper smelters. Conventional methods either prove to be complicated, expensive, or not sufficiently effective. This work shows the results of electrocoagulation (EC) in aqueous solutions containing arsenic in a newly designed and constructed cylindrical continuous airlift reactor. The residence time distribution measurements showed that the reactor behaved as an ideal continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with perfect mixing. Ten EC experiments were carried out in the continuous airlift reactor with sacrificial iron electrodes. The variables were: initial As(V) concentration, liquid flow rate, and electric current density. The results showed that the airlift EC process could reduce an initial As concentration from 1000 mg L−1 to 220 mg L−1 – corresponding to a reduction of 78%. In addition, a 100 mg L−1 solution was reduced by 88%. The Fe-to-As (mol/mol) ratio, when EC was working properly, was in the range of 1.3–1.5, which is very promising for the future development of the reactor. The arsenic removal is proportional with the electric current, the electric charge and the CSTR residence time. On the other hand, when the flow rate is increased, the arsenic removal decreases.