Investigation on the turbidity reduction from wastewater using electroflocculation process and aerobic mixed microbial culture: Modelling and pathway analysis

Contamination of natural water resources by industrial activites is a serious problem that appears in worldwide. The key purpose of the work is to explore the treatment of food wastewater using aerobic mixed microbial culture (AMC) and electroflocculation (EF) process. Box-Behnken design (BBD) incorporated in Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analysis and model the each process. The effects of inoculum concentration (IC), mixing intensity and temperature has been examined over the turbidity reduction (Y1) in AMC process; where as current density, pH, treatment time and polymer (Polyethyleneimine) dose has been examined over the turbidity reduction (Y2) in EF process. The response models developed explained >97% variability for turbidity reduction. The numerical optimization was used to find out the optimal setting and both the process significantly reduce the >70% of turbidity. UV/Vis spectrophometer confirms the efficiency of each process for turbidity reduction. The operating cost of AMC and EF found to be 1.08 US $/m3 and 4.55 US $/m3, respectively were detemined in optimal conditions. 95% of organic matters was found in sediment of AMC which can be used as outstanding organic fertilizer.