Petroleum refinery effluents (PRE) are wastes originating from industries engaged in refining crude oil and manufacturing lubricants, fuels and petrochemical intermediates. The effluents are composed of oil and grease along with many other toxic organic compounds and are a major source of aquatic environmental pollution. PRE can vary greatly depending on the plant configuration, the type of oil being processed, and operation procedures (Saien J. and Nejati H., 2007). The exact composition cannot be generalised as it depends on the refinery and which units are in operation at any specific time. PRE is often characterized by high concentrations of aliphatic and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons, which usually have detrimental and harmful effects on plant and aquatic life …show more content…
As a consequence, significant volumes of wastewater are generated, subsequently running into rivers. The volume of PRE generated during processing is 0.4–1.6 times the amount of the crude oil processed (Coelho A. et al., 2006). Based on the current yield of 13355 litres per day of crude oil, the volume of PRE currently generated worldwide is estimated at 5342 million litres per day (Diya’uddeen B. H. et al., …show more content…
The theory and mechanisms of electrocoagulation have been discussed in detail, mentioning the applications of this technology in the past. The factors affecting electrocoagulation, its merits and demerits have been mentioned. An account of the available literature on comparison of chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation has been given. The facts established from the literature review have been summarised at the end of the