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ISNPINSA-7 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1025 (2018)
1234567890 ‘’“” 012126 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1025/1/012126

The influence of electrode type on electrocoagulation process

for removal of chromium (VI) metal in plating industrial
wastewater

Aji Prasetyaningrum1*, Bakti Jos1, Yudhy Dharmawan2, Bilal T. Prabowo1,

Muh. Fathurrazan1, Fyrouzabadi1
1
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University
2
Departement of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Diponegoro University

Corresponding author: [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. Chromium (VI) is one of the major metallic pollutants in plating industrial
wastewater. Cr(VI) is one of toxic metal that cause serious threat to human health and the
environment because its non-biodegradable. Among the technologies for removing these
pollutants, electrocoagulation can be considered as an effective method. This method have
some advantages such as less amount of produced sludge and high efficiency in removal of
pollutants.This research intended to study the effects of type of electrode on the degree of
Cr(VI) removal from wastewater of plating industry using electrocoagulation method. This
laboratory research conducted with 3 types of electrode (aluminum, stainless and combination
of both electrode). Synthetic chromium wastewater was prepared at the initial concentration of
100 mg L-1. The process was conducted at pH 3. The electricity current was setting at 3
Ampere. The variable of time of electrocoagulation at 1 and 2 hours. After performing the
process on electrochemical cells, samples analyzed by the UV-Vis spectrophotometer
regarding amount of Cr(VI) metals. The results showed that aluminium was the best
performance electrode at variable of 2 hours with 26% of reduction of Cr(VI)metal content in
plating industrial waste water.

Keywords: type of electrode, electrocoagulation, chromium metal, plating industry

1. Introduction
Chromium waste Cr(VI) is a type of heavy metal that is harmful to humans as well as to the
environment. Cr(VI) is also more easily absorbed in the human body, especially the digestive tract in
humans [1]. In chrome electroplating industry, Cr(VI) was one of heavy metal coating besides of
nickel, and copper. There have been many attempts to reduce chrome waste which one of them is with
electrocoagulation technology. Electrocoagulation utilizes ion exchange at the anode to trigger
oxidation-reduction reactions on chrome and plate waste to form flocs which can then be physically
treated to purify of them. Electrocoagulation is an effective and quick method for treating water or
wastewater containing dissolved salts or toxic metal compounds. The ion exchange mechanism by
anode plates is used in electrocoagulation, there was no chemical added to the water to cause
coagulation, and the volume of produced sludge is less compared to most other common treatment
methods [2].

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ISNPINSA-7 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1025 (2018)
1234567890 ‘’“” 012126 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1025/1/012126

Pollutants in raw waters and wastewaters are typically colloidal particles, which are not easily
removed with typical filtration sedimentation or flotation due to their stability in water. These particles
have special properties due to their small size and large total surface area [3]. Crittenden [4] and
Bratby [5] research conducted mechanisms which can destabilise colloidal particles in water are
compression of electrical double layer, adsorption destabilisation, inter-particle bridging, precipitation
and enmeshment mechanism.
The advantages of electrocoagulation over conventional coagulation included economic aspects
(relatively low investment, maintenance, energy, and treatment costs), significantly lower volume of
sludge produced, better sludge quality (lower water content, much larger and more stable flocs with
better settlability), similar or slightly better efficiency, avoidance of chemical additions, ease of
automation, simple equipment and compact size of electrocoagulation systems (allowing decentralized
treatment), greater functional pH range and pH neutralization effect, and the presence of
electroflotation [6].
2. Material and Methods
2.1. Material
The reactor using copolymer tank material with 40 litres of volume. The electrode using stainless
steel, aluminum, and combination of both plates. The electrode dimension is 30 × 10 cm with 1 mm
thickness. Reactor and plates was constructed, then put on 1000 l/h aquatic pump. Power converter to
convert AC to DC could be set at 0-6 amperes and 60 volts. The clamps of the converter were
connected to the electrode in series arrangement.
The actual wastewater was obtained from UD Sinar Padi electroplating home industry and
located at Juwana Pati, Center of Java, Indonesia. Simulated of wastewater with 100 mg L-1 of Cr (VI)
solution was prepared using K2Cr2O7 analytical-gradeMerck chemicals and dissolved in demineralized
water. The pH was not controlled during electrocoagulation, but the initial pH was recorded.
2.2. Methods
The power of converter was set at 3 Ampere and initial condition adjusted at pH 3. During
electrocoagulation process, the flocs formed during electrolysis which can then be physically removed
from the reactor using filtration.
The samples of wastewater were analyzed by the UV-Vis spectrophotometer (Merck
Spectroquant Pharo 300) for regarding amount of chromium metals. The absorbance was read at
around 360 nm. The standard curve of absorbance was used for predict the concentration chromium
after electrocoagulation process.
3. Results and Discussion
The initial stage of the analysis is to determine the exact wavelength for the sample measurement.
Initially the synthetic wastewater samples tested the wavelength and obtained the optimum wavelength
at 361 nm. Then the chrome wastewater was tested by the same method which results in several
wavelengths but the optimum peak of the wavelength is 362 nm. This proves that synthetic wastewater
and chrome waste can be matched in experiments at optimum wavelengths of 361 nm.

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ISNPINSA-7 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1025 (2018)
1234567890 ‘’“” 012126 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1025/1/012126

Figure 1. Synthetic wastewater wavelenght Figure 2. Home industry wastewater wavelenght

The optimum wavelength was used for prepared the standard curve of the absorbance wastewater. The
resulting of linier equation is y = 0,0309x + 0,052 (y=absorbance and x = concentration of
wastewater).The reduction of chromium wastewater at different electrodes shows at Figure 3.
For this research, the stainless steel plate was used because it is easy to find due to the rest waste of
the home industry materials, stainless steel contains around 70% iron (SS304). Aluminum is used
because it is a cheap and easy available.The results shows that during 1 hour electrocoagulation, the
reduction of Cr(VI) metals was increase until above 15%. The highest of chromium reduction was
18% using type of stainless steel electrode. For aluminium electrode, the reduction of Cr(VI) metals
was increase with increasing of electrocoagulation time. Meanwhile, the chromium reduction was
decrease during 2 hours of electrocoagulation process for stainless electrode and combination of
stainless-aluminum.
30
Chromium Reduction (%)

25 stainless
20
Stainless-AL
15
Allumunium
10

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Time (hour)

Figure 3. Reduction of chromium wastewater at different electrodes.

The highest chromium reduction efficiency was 26% with aluminium electrode for 2 hours of
electrocoagulation. For this process, the pH was adjusted at acidic condition (pH 3). The reaction
during electrocoagulation process can be explained as follows:
M(s) M+(aq) + ne- (1)
2H2O (l)  4H+(aq) + O2 + 4e- (2)
 At Cathode
M+(aq) + ne- M(s) (3)
2H2O + 2e+ H2(g) + 2OH- (4)
 Reduction of Cr

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ISNPINSA-7 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1025 (2018)
1234567890 ‘’“” 012126 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1025/1/012126

7H2O +Cr2O72- + 6e- Cr3+ + 14OH- (5)

Noted: (M = metal stainless or aluminum)
Where the metal is erode from the anode, then forming iron hydroxide/aluminum hydroxide [7] [8].
The first step is the formation of coagulant from the anode (stainless and aluminum) which dissolves
causing contaminants and particulates of suspension to be coagulated (chromium) as well as break
down the emulsion. The aggregate is then formed from the flocculation or adsorption on the metal
hydroxide floc. pH becomes an important parameter and the optimum reduction efficiency is also
found in acidic pH [9].
Aluminum and iron hydrolysis products then destabilize pollutants present in the solution, allowing
agglomeration and further separation from the solution by settling or flotation. Destabilization is
achieved mainly by means of two distinct mechanisms, i.e. 1) charge neutralization of negatively
charged colloids by cationic hydrolysis products; and 2) “sweep flocculation”, where impurities are
trapped and removed in the amorphous hydroxide precipitate produced [10].
Based on research conducted by Kashefi [9], the efficiency of stainless anode- cathode electrodes
and aluminum anode-cathode electrodes is better than the system efficiency of stainless anode-
aluminum cathode and aluminum anode-stainless cathode[9]. In fact, the electrodes of stainless anode-
stainless cathode will increase the iron ions and hydroxide produced in the anode and
cathode.Therefore, the electrocoagulation process with the help with application of stainless plate
electrodes. The removal efficiency of heavy metals in wastewater influence of different conditions
such as potential difference, acidity, reaction time, the distance between electrodes, and type of
selected electrodes [9].

4. Conclusion
Chromium removal from home industrial waste water was carried out using electrocoagulation. The
results showed that the optimized removal eficiency 26% was achieved using alumunium electrodes. It
can be destabilize pollutants present in the solution, allowing agglomeration and further separation
from the solution by settling or flotation. However, there is still a possibility to increase waste
reduction by examining several other variables. For further study there are many variables that we
have not traced like initial concentration, voltage &electricity current variation, pH, and density might
be increase reduction of chromium wastewater.

Acknowledment
We would like to thank the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of National Education
through HILINK Grant-2018. We also thank for UD. Sinar Padi, industrial of electroplating at Pati
Center Java, Indonesia for an object of this research.

References
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CAS No.18540-29-9. Washington DC
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IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1025 (2018)
1234567890 ‘’“” 012126 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1025/1/012126

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