A Study of an Experimental Design Methodology for the Removal of Cadmium from Polluted Wastewater via the Electrocoagulation Process using Solar Energy

Authors

  • Lissir Boulanouar Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters of Gabes, University of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia | Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, University of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia
  • Boulbaba Louhichi Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters of Gabes, University of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia | Department of Chemical Process Engineering, National Engineering School of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia
  • Abdelkader Mabrouk Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
  • Tarek Salem Abdennaji Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
  • Wissem Hamdi Department of Chemical Process Engineering, National Engineering School of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia
  • Noureddine Hamdi Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters of Gabes, University of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia
  • Houas Ammar Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, University of Gabes, Zrig Eddakhlania, Tunisia
Volume: 15 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 23415-23421 | June 2025 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.9634

Received: 17 November 2024 | Revised: 28 December 2024 | Accepted: 23 April 2025 | Online: 4 June 2025


Corresponding author: Tarek Salem Abdennaji

Abstract

The aim of this study was to optimize several parameters that affect the Electrocoagulation (EC) process of Cadmium (Cd) from polluted wastewater. To estimate the contribution of each parameter to the overall removal process, an experimental design methodology was employed. System performance was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), focusing on key factors, such as pH, amperage, and salt (NaCl) concentration. Minitab 19 software was utilized to develop a full model equation, including the main effects and interactions between the variables. The analysis revealed that pH and amperage were the most influential factors, contributing 43.04% and 26.27%, respectively, to system efficiency. The optimal parameter range for achieving a yield (above 95%) was identified through response contour plots and interaction analyses: pH ranged between 6.9 and 11, amperage between 300 and 500 mA, and salt concentration between 0.1 and 0.6 g/L. Further refinement of these ranges was visualized using response surface diagrams and the Box-Behnken design. Practical experiments were conducted using the optimized values (pH = 6.2, amperage = 280 mA, salt = 0.46 g/L), and the results were compared to the theoretical model. A minimal error margin of less than 2% between the practical and statistical results validated the model's accuracy.

Keywords:

Electrocoagulation (EC), heavy metal removal, Cadmium (Cd), amperage, pH, salt concentration

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[1]
Boulanouar, L., Louhichi, B., Mabrouk, A., Salem Abdennaji, T., Hamdi, W., Hamdi, N. and Ammar, H. 2025. A Study of an Experimental Design Methodology for the Removal of Cadmium from Polluted Wastewater via the Electrocoagulation Process using Solar Energy. Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research. 15, 3 (Jun. 2025), 23415–23421. DOI:https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.9634.

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Copyright (c) 2025 Lissir Boulanouar, Boulbaba Louhichi, Abdelkader Mabrouk, Tarek Salem Abdennaji, Wissem Hamdi, Noureddine Hamdi, Houas Ammar

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