Optimization of the Electrochemical Process for the Treatment of Dairy Waste Effluents Using Natural Polyelectrolytes of Chitosan and Opuntia ficus-indica as Adjuvants in the Removal of Contaminants

Navarrete Herrera C.V.; Quispe Ortiz J.A.; Linares Flores Castro A.E.; Meza Elguera N.Y.; Jimenez Pacheco H.G. · Journal of Chemistry (2026) · DOI: 10.1155/joch/5918364

Resumen

The consumption of water resources by the dairy industry generates wastewater containing recalcitrant contaminants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the removal efficiency of turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Electrocoagulation combined with conventional coagulation was employed as the treatment method due to its ability to degrade the contaminants present. This study presents the operational conditions of an electrochemical system combined with coagulation and flocculation processes, using chitosan and Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage as natural coagulants, at a concentration of 100 mg/L and at ambient temperature, for the treatment of dairy industry wastewater (whey). The initial pH, time, and voltage were evaluated as process parameters; moreover, the application of the Taguchi orthogonal matrix as the experimental design enabled the determination of optimal operating conditions. The results indicated that the initial pH was the most influential variable in the treatment process (pH > time > voltage), achieving removal efficiencies of approximately 94.99% for turbidity and 95.38% for COD. Additionally, an anodic material contribution of 5 × 10−5 g, equivalent to 0.2 mg/L in the reactor, and an aluminum anodic efficiency of 31.20 KgCOD/Ahm2 at 8 V, with an initial pH of 7.5 and a treatment time of 1.5 h, were observed. ANOVA confirmed that an initial pH of 7.5 is the key variable for the electrocoagulation system’s operation. Finally, it was concluded that chitosan acts as a coagulant, while Opuntia ficus (nopal) has a flocculant action. Copyright

Instituciones: Universidad Católica de Santa María