Enhancing the Removal Efficiency of Organic Load, Phosphorus, and Ammonia in the Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) Wastewater Treatment by Employing Electrochemical Technology

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Water and Wastewater Treatment , Faculty of Civil, Water and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran,Iran

Abstract

Objective: Advanced wastewater treatment plays a vital role in reducing environmental pollution and safeguarding water resources, particularly as industrialization and urban development continue to accelerate globally. Among the various treatment technologies available, electrochemical processes have emerged as a promising and innovative option, largely due to their effectiveness in eliminating resistant and hard-to-treat contaminants. These technologies not only offer high treatment efficiency and scalability but also exhibit strong potential for integration with traditional treatment systems, making them a practical enhancement to current infrastructure. Key goals of wastewater treatment include achieving high removal rates of organic pollutants, consistently meeting regulatory thresholds for nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the effluent, and improving the overall operational efficiency of treatment processes, thus ensuring long-term sustainability and effectiveness in environmental management.
Method: This study evaluates the integrated treatment strategy by examining the removal efficiencies of key pollutants, including organic matter, phosphorus, and ammoniacal nitrogen, alongside measurements of sludge volume index (SVI) and energy consumption across a voltage range of 1 to 15 volts. To ensure both practical relevance and methodological robustness, experiments were conducted using a combination of real and synthetic wastewater samples.
Results: The findings revealed that applying voltages below 5 volts significantly enhanced the removal of organic contaminants, achieving up to a 1.5-fold improvement relative to conventional treatment systems. Notably, the system attained a peak organic load removal efficiency of 98% at an applied voltage of 3 volts. In parallel, phosphorus removal efficiency reached 99%, while ammoniacal nitrogen removal was observed at 69% within the 1–5 volt range. Beyond pollutant elimination, the incorporation of electrochemical technology notably improved sludge characteristics. The most substantial decrease in SVI occurred at 15 volts, reducing sludge volume to one-third of that observed in traditional sequencing batch reactor (SBR) systems over an equivalent operational period. Additionally, the system demonstrated favorable energy performance, with maximum energy consumption under optimal operating conditions measured at 1.78 kWh per cubic meter of treated wastewater.
Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that enhancing the conventional biological wastewater treatment system through the simultaneous application of the electrochemical method leads to increased efficiency in the removal of organic load, phosphorus, and ammonium, particularly at voltages below 5 V. Furthermore, the results suggest that, under optimal operating conditions, the integration of the electrochemical method reduces retention time, significantly improves the sludge volume index (SVI), and optimizes energy consumption, making the process more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically viable in the long term.

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References

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Journal of Environmental Studies
Volume 51, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 1-17

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