Development Of An Electrolytic Bin For Treatment Of Ionic Pollutants In Sewage From Chemical Laboratories

Abstract

Chemical laboratories generate wastewater containing potentially hazardous metal ions that can threaten environmental quality and public health if discharged without adequate treatment. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a laboratory-scale electrolytic bin for removing copper, lead, chromium, and zinc from simulated chemical laboratory wastewater. The system employed an electrochemical cell with aluminium and stainless-steel electrodes, and treatment performance was assessed over three hours using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The initial concentrations of copper, lead, chromium, and zinc were 0.902, 0.724, 0.830, and 0.589 mg/L, respectively. After one hour, their concentrations decreased to 0.301, 0.531, 0.623, and 0.408 mg/L, corresponding to removal efficiencies of 66.63%, 26.66%, 24.94%, and 30.73%, respectively. After two hours, copper concentration reached 0.002 mg/L, representing 99.78% removal, while lead, chromium, and zinc concentrations decreased to 0.120, 0.221, and 0.343 mg/L, respectively. Following three hours of treatment, lead, chromium, and zinc concentrations declined further to 0.003, 0.006, and 0.004 mg/L, corresponding to removal efficiencies of 99.59%, 99.28%, and 99.32%, respectively. The three-hour copper concentration was reported below the detection limit. The wastewater pH increased from 5.5 to 7.0 during treatment. The observed reductions may involve electrocoagulation, adsorption, precipitation, and potentially electrodeposition, although their individual contributions require further investigation. The findings demonstrate the potential of the electrolytic bin for reducing metal concentrations in simulated laboratory wastewater. Further validation using replicate experiments, actual laboratory effluents, and verified AAS measurements is necessary before practical deployment.