Abstract

This work reports the results of coupling Moringa oleifera seed extract (MOSE) with electrocoagulation (EC) for the remediation of Direct Red 80 azo dye (DR80) from contaminated synthetic aqueous solution and real textile wastewater. The electrochemical treatment was carried out using a pair of aluminium electrodes in monopolar-parallel mode. EC runs determined using Box-Behnken design under the response surface methodology (RSM) for three parameters including current density, pH, and operation time. The EC optimal conditions were current density 0.9 mA/cm(2), pH 3, and time 10 min. The maximum experimental DR80 dye removal of 89.37 was close to the model prediction (76.4). The kinetic study of the EC system represented that the removal of dye obeyed the first-order kinetic model. To improve dye removal efficiency from treated wastewater under optimal conditions, 2.5 mL/L of MOSE was added and the efficiency enhanced to above 98. SEM and microscopic images of the sludge produced showed that the flocs formed in the hybrid system were denser and thicker than the conventional EC. The economic study revealed that switching from the EC to hybrid process reduced energy and electrode consumption from 0.015 to 0.008 kWh/m(3) and 0.016 to 0.014 kg/m(3), respectively, for 98 DR80 dye removal. MOSE has a substantial effect on the EC performance. Therefore, the EC/MOSE coupling process is recommended for the treatment of coloured wastewater due to its high efficiency, short operation time, and electrode and energy consumption costs.