The aim of this research was development of new system for the treatment of highly polluted wastewater (COD = 10240 mg/L; SS = 2860 mg/L) originating from vine-making industry. The system consisted of the main treatment that included electrochemical methods (electro oxidation, electrocoagulation using stainless steel, iron and aluminum electrode sets) with simultaneous sonication and recirculation in strong electromagnetic field. Ozonation combined with UV irradiation in the presence of added hydrogen peroxide was applied for the post-treatment of the effluent. Following the combined treatment, the final removal efficiencies of the parameters color, turbidity, suspended solids and phosphates were over 99%, Fe, Cu and ammonia approximately 98%, while the removal of COD and sulfates was 77% and 62%, respectively. A new approach combining electrochemical methods with ultrasound in the strong electromagnetic field resulted in significantly better removal efficiencies for majority of the measured parameters compared to the biological methods, advanced oxidation processes or electrocoagulation. Reduction of the treatment time represents another advantage of this new approach.

This article presents a pilot-plant study of the electroplating wastewater treatment by the processes of electroreduction with iron electrode plates, and electrocoagulation/ozonation with aluminum electrode set, followed by the process of ozonation. The initial effluent was found to be highly enriched in heavy metals and to possess the elevated levels of organic contaminants. The values of Cr(VI), Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, TOC, and COD exceeded the upper permissible limits of 63, 220.2, 1.1, 7, 131.3, 1.7, 12.3, and 11.4 times, respectively. The heavy metal removal was forced either by the coagulation/flocculation using Fe(II), Fe(III), and Al(III) ions released into the treated solution by the electrochemical corrosion of the sacrificial iron and aluminum electrodes, or the precipitation of the metal hydroxides as well as co-precipitation with iron and aluminum hydroxides. The principle organic matter destruction mechanisms were ozone oxidation and the indirect oxidation with chlorine/hypochlorite formed by the anodic oxidation of chloride already present in the wastewater. Following the combined treatment, the removal efficiencies of Cr(VI), Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, TOC, and COD were 99.94%, 100.00%, 95.86%, 98.66%, 99.97%, 96.81%, 93.24%, and 93.43%, respectively, thus complying with the regulated values.

The purpose of this research was the characterization and improvement of the quality of water used for human consumption of unregulated/regulated water sources located in the Cameron/Tuba City abandoned uranium mining area (NE Arizona, western edge of the Navajo Nation). Samples were collected at six water sources which included regulated sources: Wind Mill (Tank 3T-538), Badger Springs and Paddock Well as well as unregulated sources: Willy Spring, Water Wall and Water Hole. Samples taken from Wind Mill, Water Wall and Water Hole were characterized with high turbidity and color as well as high level of manganese, iron and nickel and elevated value of molybdenum. High level of iron was also found in Badger Spring, Willy Spring, and Paddock Well. These three water sources were also characterized with elevated values of fluoride and vanadium. Significant amounts of zinc were found in Water Wall and Water Hole samples. Water Wall sample was also characterized with high level of Cr^VI. Compared to primary or secondary Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) water quality standard the highest enrichment was found for turbidity (50.000 times), color (up to 1.796 times) and manganese (71 times), Cr^VI (17.5 times), iron (7.4 times) and arsenic (5.2 times). Activities of ²²⁶Ra and ²³⁸U in water samples were still in agreement with the maximum contaminant levels. In order to comply with NNEPA water quality standard water samples were subjected to electrochemical treatment. This method was selected due to its high removal efficiency for heavy metals and uranium, lower settlement time, production of smaller volume of waste mud and higher stability of waste mud compared to physico-chemical treatment. Following the treatment, concentrations of heavy metals and activities of radionuclides in all samples were significantly lower compared to NNEPA or WHO regulated values. The maximum removal efficiencies for color, turbidity, arsenic, manganese, molybdenum and nickel were 100.0%. Maximum removal percentage of Cu, F⁻, V, Zn, ¹³⁷Cs, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U were as follows: 98.0%; 82.7%; 99.9%; 95.6%; 75.0%; 76.9%; 80.0% and 99.2%. From the results presented it could be concluded that electrochemical treatment is a suitable approach for the purification of drinking water with complex mixture of contaminants, especially those with high turbidity and color.

A combined treatment approach using advanced oxidation, electrochemical methods and microwaves was developed and applied for the treatment of landfill leachate taken from Piskornica (Koprivnica, Croatia) sanitary landfill. Due to the complex nature of the effluent and extremely low bio-degradability (BOD₅/COD ratio = 0.01) the purification of the leachate started with pre-treatment with ozone followed by simultaneous ozonation and electrocoagulation/electrooxidation using the set of iron and aluminum electrodes, and finally, the degradation of organic residue and ammonia with microwaves. Applied treatment approach resulted in clear, colorless and odorless effluent with the values of all measured parameters significantly lower compared to the upper permissible limit for discharge into the environment. The removal percentages of the parameters: color, turbidity, suspended solids, ammonia, COD and iron following the combined treatment were 98.43%, 99.48%, 98.96%, 98.80%, 94.17% and 98.56%, respectively.