Application of electroflocculation as a way of removing the indigo blue dye (2,2' - bis (2,3 - dihydro - 3 -oxoindolylidene)) from synthetic solutions in the textile dyeing process

• Grant number: 22/13421-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Ambrósio Florêncio de Almeida Neto
• Grantee: Ambrósio Florêncio de Almeida Neto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alberth Edison Ticona Cayte

Abstract

The electroflocculation technique has proved to be an attractive option for the treatment of textile wastewater, in terms of efficiency, economy, equipment and simple operation, based on the formation of dense flocs that are easy to recover. In this work, electroflocculation will be evaluated for its ability to remove Indigo Blue dye from synthetic solutions used in textile dyeing. The tests will be carried out in a 2 liter benchtop reactor and with a honeycomb arrangement of aluminum electrodes, under the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach, in order to optimize and understand the effect of the main operational variables involved in the process, such as current density, initial pH, electrolyte concentration and distance between electrodes. This is expected to maximize the efficiency of removing color, turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total solids from the water, with a minimum consumption of resources, in order to guarantee a safe discharge of the effluent within the standards of release required by Brazilian environmental legislation. Furthermore, it is intended to characterize the sludge generated at the end of the treatment by scanning electron microscopy with chemical analysis by Energy Dispersive X-rays (EDS), by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). With these analyzes it will be verified the possibility of recovering the indigo dye from the residual sludge mass and evaluating its potential reuse in the textile dyeing stage. This work will also address the cost analysis and the study of the kinetics of Indigo Blue dye removal by electroflocculation as points for the application of the process. (AU)