This study evaluates three hybrid electrocoagulation (EC) processes with aluminium electrodes: EC-zeolite process (EC+Z), EC-zeolite-ultrasound-assisted process (EC+Z+US), and EC-zeolitemagnet- assisted process (EC+Z+MAG) for compost wastewater treatment with a large content of organic matter. The focus was on evaluating the effects of these processes on the removal efficiency of pollutants, including chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity. Additionally, the study analysed the pH and temperature variations as well as electrode dissolution and corrosion to assess each hybrid process. The results revealed that the EC+Z+MAG process achieved the highest COD and turbidity decrease, indicating its superior efficiency in particle aggregation and removal. Regarding the pH and temperature, the EC+Z+US experiment exhibited the least changes in pH and temperature, while the EC+Z+MAG exhibited the highest. The EC+Z+US showed improved sludge recovery due to better particle agglomeration, while reducing electrode corrosion compared to other processes. Microscopic analysis indicated that ultrasound assistance reduced corrosion damage on the anode, while the magnetic field in the EC+Z+MAG process contributed to the formation of a dendritic structure on the cathode. Even though this study highlights the effectiveness of combining electrocoagulation with zeolite, ultrasound, and magnetic assistance to enhance wastewater treatment efficiency, further optimization of these hybrid processes is recommended to balance performance with sustainability and electrode longevity.
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Funding Statement
The results presented in this paper were funded by institutional funds from the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split, Croatia, and were conducted as part of the Croatian- Slovenian bilateral project "Augmentation, Intensification, and Development of New Integrated Wastewater Treatment Processes".
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