title: Treatment of wastewater from the dairy industry using electroflocculation and solid whey recovery.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of electroflocculation for the treatment of wastewater from the dairy industry and the recovery of solid whey. An electrochemical apparatus containing two aluminum or iron electrodes, a power source, an electroflocculation cell and magnetic stirring was employed. The following experimental conditions were monitored: electroflocculation time, initial pH of wastewater and applied potential intensity. Chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and final pH were the response variables. The chemical oxygen demand and turbidity decreased by employing aluminum or iron electrodes, applied potential intensity of 5 V, distance between two electrodes of 2 cm, 60 min electroflocculation time and initial wastewater pH of 5.0. The removal rates of organic matter based on the measure of chemical oxygen demand and turbidity when employing aluminum electrodes were 97.0 ± 0.02% and 99.6 ± 3.00 × 10(-4)%, respectively, with a final pH of 6.72. The removal rates of organic matter when employing iron electrodes were 97.4 ± 0.01% and 99.1 ± 1.00 × 10(-4)%, respectively, with a final pH of 7.38. In conclusion, electroflocculation is an excellent alternative for the dairy wastewater treatment in comparison to conventional treatment methods. The water used in food production and equipment washing is recovered with this method, resulting in a liquid that can be properly disposed. It is also possible to recover solid whey after electroflotation, which can then be used in the production of food supplements for humans and animals. Therefore, the dairy wastewater treatment process employing electroflocculation leads to sustainable food production.
authors.affiliation: Santa Catarina State University, Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, BR 282, Km 574, CEP: 89870-000, Pinhalzinho, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Melchiors
authors.affiliation: Santa Catarina State University, Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Av. Luis de Camões, 2090, Conta Dinheiro, CEP: 88520-000, Lages, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piovesan
authors.affiliation: Santa Catarina State University, Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Av. Luis de Camões, 2090, Conta Dinheiro, CEP: 88520-000, Lages, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Becegato
authors.affiliation: Santa Catarina State University, Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Av. Luis de Camões, 2090, Conta Dinheiro, CEP: 88520-000, Lages, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valter A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Becegato
authors.affiliation: State University of Campinas, College of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Systems, Av. Albert Einstein, 500, CEP: 13083-852, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elias B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Tambourgi
authors.affiliation: Santa Catarina State University, Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, BR 282, Km 574, CEP: 89870-000, Pinhalzinho, SC, Brazil; Santa Catarina State University, Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Av. Luis de Camões, 2090, Conta Dinheiro, CEP: 88520-000, Lages, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: alexandre.paulino@udesc.br.
authors.forename: Alexandre T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Paulino
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007501:Iron; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D000067796:Whey / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Dairy; Electroflocculation; Treatment; Wastewater; Water; Whey