Document Type : Research article
Authors
- Amir Hossein Manavi 1
- Mehrdad Cheraghi 1
- Ali Mahdinia 2
- Bahareh Lorestani 1
- Soheil Sobhan Ardakani 1
1 Department of Environment, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran
2 Department of Ocean Science, Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Heavy metals are among the most critical pollutants in industrial wastewater due to their toxicity, bioaccumulation, and persistence in the food chain. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the Electro-Fenton process in removing heavy metals (Ni, V, Cd, and Pb) from petroleum wastewater of the Abadan refinery.
Methods: Experiments were designed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Design-Expert software. The investigated variables included pH (4–6), reaction time (20–70 min), current density (20–60 mA/cm²), and electrode type (Fe-Fe and Al-Al). Final metal concentrations were measured using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and regression modeling was applied to predict removal performance.
Results: The findings revealed that the highest removal efficiencies were obtained under optimal conditions (pH = 6, reaction time = 30 min, current density = 60 mA/cm², and aluminum electrodes). Under these conditions, removal efficiencies for nickel, vanadium, cadmium, and lead were 81%, 81.3%, 81.8%, and 86.7%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that pH, reaction time, and electrode type had the most significant effects on the process, and the RSM model accurately predicted the variations (R² ≈ 0.9).
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the Electro-Fenton process using aluminum electrodes under controlled conditions is an effective method for removing heavy metals from petroleum wastewater and can be applied as an efficient and eco-friendly technology for industrial wastewater treatment.
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