BPA removal efficiency from real wastewater using electrocoagulation

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a normal phenolic compound which is one of the common pollutants that produced by the chemical plants and it is well-known as an endocrine disruptor, because of its toxic effects on human health and the environment. The EC method was used in the US for the treatment of the wastewater in the 19th century for the first time. During last two decades, the EC technology was considered as the environmentally friendly, cost-effective method with a minimum footprint in the treated water. The main object of the present study was the removal of BPA from industrial wastewater using electrocoagulation technique. An EC reactor made of Plexiglass with the dimension of 130 mm *100 mm* 8 mm, was used with four iron electrodes of monopolar configuration. In order to protect the electrodes against erosion, an electrical current switcher was used to change the anode and cathode in a given time. The result showed that the removal efficiency of BPA increases with increasing both electrocoagulation (EC) residence time and direct current (CD) density. Over 92% of BPA (from 800ppm to 64ppm) was removed efficiently by conducting the EC treatment at the current density of 40 mA/cm2, pH of 7.50 and EC residence time of 8 min. The process of BPA removal using EC consumes a rather low amount of energy, making the process economically feasible and possible to scale up.