A mathematical model of the organic matter (chemical oxygen demand - COD) removal from synthetic oil-water emulsions by the electrocoagulation process was developed to evaluate the COD abatement. The model comprises the three fundaments of electrocoagulation: electrochemistry, coagulation and flotation. By comparing the experimental and calculated values of COD, it was found that the model was able to adequately predict the concentrations of organic matter (COD) present in the emulsions and satisfactorily describe the electrocoagulation process.
electrocoagulation; oil-water emulsions; organic matter (COD); mathematical model
