Comparison of Chemical and Electrocoagulation Methods in Treating Wastewater

In the process of wastewater treatment, chemical flocculation is the method we usually choose,and it has developed early and has rich experience.In recent years, electrocoagulation has become an emerging method. They both provide a reliable method for treating water turbidity,the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid typically invisible to the naked eye,and generally,they enable up to 90% reduction in suspended solids and organic loads.Firstly,we will introduce the mechanisms of the two methods and compare the two principles.The main difference between the two methods can be attributed to the way the coagulant is applied to the treated solution.Organic or inorganic substances are directly added and then dissolve in the water to provide counter electric charges in chemical coagulation,whereas electrocoagulation uses ions produced by the metal electrode during electrolysis process for neutralization.Secondly,methods for measuring chemical oxygen demand(the main pollutants in wastewater)will be introduced. Once again,we will compare the differences between chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation methods in terms of economy,efficiency, stability,and other aspects in specific cases from three aspects: inorganic,organic,and heavy metals. Finally,we will summarize the current application fields of the two technologies and put forward possible research directions in the future.