Continuous Electrocoagulation for a Sustainable Water Treatment: Effects of Electrode Configuration, Electrical Connection Mode, and Polarity Reversal on Fluoride Removal

Sirin Dhifallah, Anis Attour, Christophe Vial (), Fethi Zagrouba and Fabrice Audonnet
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Sirin Dhifallah: National Engineering School of Gabes, University of Gabes, Omar ibn Elkhattab Street, Zrig Eddakhlania 6029, Tunisia
Anis Attour: Natural Waters Desalination and Valorization Laboratory, Water Research and Technologies Centre, Technopole of Borj-Cedria, BP 273, Soliman 8020, Tunisia
Christophe Vial: Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
Fethi Zagrouba: Environmental Science and Technology Research Laboratory, Carthage University, Borj-Cedria 2050, Tunisia
Fabrice Audonnet: Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-19

Abstract: Water pollution in southern Tunisia, particularly in the mining basin of Gafsa, is primarily due to elevated levels of fluoride ions. This study focuses on removing fluoride from Metlaoui’s tap water through a continuous electrocoagulation (EC) treatment. With a fluoride concentration of 3.5 mg·L −1 , this water exhibits the highest fluoride levels in Gafsa’s mining basin. The study investigates the impact of electrode configuration on fluoride removal from tap water through continuous electrocoagulation treatment. Configuring the electrodes perpendicular to the water flow improves the aluminum dissolution by electrocoagulation and the fluoride removal efficiency. Additionally, the study explores the effect of electrical connection modes on electrode performance, showing consistent fluoride removal yield under identical current densities and electrochemical cell numbers. Furthermore, the study examines cathodic deposit removal through polarity reversal, demonstrating its effectiveness in eliminating deposits and achieving high fluoride removal yields, especially with polarity reversal every minute. This method proves to be an efficient approach for a more sustainable fluorinated water treatment, eliminating cathodic deposits without the need for chemical or mechanical interventions, and without producing additional effluents or waste. The optimization of these parameters not only enhances fluoride removal efficiency, but also reduces energy consumption and operational costs, thereby promoting the sustainable management of energy and water resources.

Keywords: fluoride removal; electrode configuration; energy consumption; human health; polarity reversal; sustainable water treatment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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