Sanjeev Kumar Meena, Shiv Om Meena, Vikas Kumar Sangal, Neetesh Kumar Dehariya
Tannery wastewater is one of the most harmful industrial effluents, characterized by a high level of organic matter, suspended solids, sulfides, and chlorides. Electrochemical oxidation (EO) is very popular due to its efficiency compared to traditional methods and several advantages. This research explores the EO process for treatment of tannery wastewater using a mixed metal oxide electrode (Ti/TiO 2 –RuO 2 –IrO 2 ). The study specifically evaluated chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and energy consumption as functions of operational variables, including electrolysis time, pH, and current. Using desirability-based multi-response optimization, the EO process achieved 87.05% COD removal, 46.44% TOC removal, and 11.10 kWh m −3 energy consumption, with an operating cost of 0.76 USD m −3 . Under optimum conditions, the once-through continuous system was operated at flow rates between 5 and 20 ml min −1 . The role of various reactive oxidizing species in EO was investigated using scavengers. Such extraordinary performance of EO technology shows that it could be a very successful strategy for treating tannery effluents. Future EO research should emphasize large-scale use, integrated treatments, and renewable energy optimization via life cycle assessment and predictive modelling.