TURK 2025

Abstract: The dairy industry generates substantial volumes of wastewater with high concentrations of organic pollutants, including lactose, fats, and proteins. If left untreated, these pollutants can lead to severe environmental issues, such as water contamination and oxygen depletion in aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluates the efficiency of electrocoagulation in treating dairy wastewater, with a primary focus on the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD). The initial COD concentration in the wastewater was 30,000 mg/L. Two treatment methods were investigated: chemical coagulation and electrooxidation. In the first stage, chemical coagulation was conducted using varying dosages (0.1, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.8 g) of FeCl₃ and Al₂(SO₄)₃. However, this method exhibited low efficiency, resulting in weak coagulation and precipitation. In the subsequent stage, electrooxidation was performed using 1000 mL of wastewater treated with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes at 5 A current. The COD concentration decreased from 49,000 mg/L to 4900 mg/L, corresponding to an overall reduction of approximately 90%. In addition to COD removal, the study monitored changes in turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), and pH levels throughout the treatment process. A significant reduction in turbidity was observed, from 1,200 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) to 350 NTU, while TSS levels decreased from 5200 mg/L to 1800 mg/L. The findings demonstrate that electrooxidation is a highly effective method for dairy wastewater treatment, achieving substantial pollutant removal within a relatively short time. Compared to conventional chemical treatment methods, electrooxidation offers several advantages, including lower chemical consumption, reduced sludge production, and improved environmental sustainability.