International Journal of Engineering

International Journal of Engineering

Electrochemical Synthesis of Sodium Ferrate and Its Application in Wastewater Treatment Systems: A Field Case Study

Document Type : SPMU 2026

Authors
1 Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
2 Dobrokhim LLC, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Abstract
A membrane reactor with an integrated flow-through photometric sensor was developed for real-time monitoring of sodium ferrate concentration. The materials for the reactor housing, sensor, and consumable anodes were selected, along with optimal electrolysis parameters that ensure increased ferrate yield and concentration, reduced energy consumption, and stable operation for up to 8 hours. The developed equipment and the produced reagent were tested on wastewater from oil extraction treatment facilities at the South Priobskoye field under Arctic conditions. At one site, ferrate was added directly to the wastewater with subsequent filtration; at another, it was used as part of an integrated treatment system including aeration and multi-stage filtration. Field trials demonstrated the high efficiency of sodium ferrate as an oxidant, coagulant, and flocculant: achieving degradation of organic and toxic compounds, removal of petroleum products, and water disinfection. Treated wastewater met regulatory standards and allowed safe discharge into the environment. The obtained results confirm the possibility of introduction of automated adaptive equipment for sodium ferrate synthesis into water treatment systems at oil production facilities. Utilizing sodium ferrate enhances treatment efficiency, lowers operating costs, and improves the environmental sustainability of production.

Graphical Abstract

Electrochemical Synthesis of Sodium Ferrate and Its Application in Wastewater Treatment Systems: A Field Case Study
Keywords

Subjects


  1. Dutta D, Arya S, Kumar S. Industrial wastewater treatment: Current trends, bottlenecks, and best practices. Chemosphere. 2021;285:131245. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131245
  2. Mao G, Han Y, Liu X, Crittenden J, Huang N, Ahmad UM. Technology status and trends of industrial wastewater treatment: A patent analysis. Chemosphere. 2022;288:132483. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132483
  3. Карапетян КГ, Дорош ИВ, Згонник ПВ, Коршунов АД, Перина АИ. Sorbents based on foamed phosphate glass for collecting petroleum oil products from contaminated soils and water surfaces. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University Geo Assets Engineering. 2024;335(8):227-40. 10.18799/24131830/2024/8/4484
  4. Munyengabe A, Zvinowanda C, Ramontja J, Zvimba JN. Effective desalination of acid mine drainage using an advanced oxidation process: Sodium ferrate (VI) salt. Water. 2021;13(19):2619. 10.3390/w13192619
  5. Piirainen V, Mikhailov A, Barinkov V, Starovoitov V. The use of sludge-peat composition for the processing of alu-mina production waste. Obogashchenie Rud. 2022(6):51-8. 10.17580/or.2022.06.09
  6. Hassan K, Khalifa A, Hegazy M, Helmy M. Evaluation of an Outdoor Pilot Scale Hybrid Growth Algal-Bacterial System for Wastewater Bioremediation. Civil Engineering Journal. 2024;10(11):3589-602. 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-11-09
  7. Perez OFA, Navarro AMS, Cardenas LA, Castellanos J, Velasquez P. Optimizing Cr (VI) reduction in plastic chromium plating wastewater: particle size, irradiation, titanium dose. Emerging Science Journal. 2024;8(1):17-27. 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-01-02
  8. Alibabaei F, Saebnoori E, Fulazzaky MA, Talaeikhozani A, Roohi P, Moghadas F, et al. An evaluation of the efficiency of odorant removal by sodium ferrate (VI) oxidation. Measurement. 2021;179:109488. 10.1016/j.measurement.2021.109488
  9. Sarkheil H, Azimi Y, Rahbari S. Fuzzy wastewater quality index determination for environmental quality assessment under uncertain and vagueness conditions. International Journal of Engineering. 2018;31(8):1196-204. 10.5829/ije.2018.31.08b.06
  10. Altynbayeva G, Kadnikova O, Aydarhanov A, Toretayev M. Industrial Wastewaters of the Feed Industry: Use of Sodium Ferrate in the Phenol Purification Process. Rigas Tehniskas Universitates Zinatniskie Raksti. 2021;25(1):829-39. 10.2478/rtuect-2021-0062
  11. Sailo L, Pachuau L, Yang JK, Lee SM, Tiwari D. Efficient use of ferrate (VI) for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with metal complexes. Environmental Engineering Research. 2015;20(1):89-97. 10.4491/eer.2014.079
  12. Liu J, Mulenos MR, Hockaday WC, Sayes CM, Sharma VK. Ferrate (VI) pretreatment of water containing natural organic matter, bromide, and iodide: A potential strategy to control soluble lead release from PbO2 (s). Chemosphere. 2021;263:128035. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128035
  13. Munasir N. LR, Diah Hari K., Nuhaa F., Ezza S.S. . Synthesis of Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEG nanocomposite from mineral sands: Kinetic adsorption of heavy metal ion from aqueous solution. International Journal of Engineering Transactions B: Applications. 2025;38(2):330–42. 10.5829/ije.2025.38.02b.07
  14. Dong S, Mu Y, Sun X. Removal of toxic metals using ferrate (VI): a review. Water Science and Technology. 2019;80(7):1213-25. 10.2166/wst.2019.376
  15. Feihu Z, Sy Yi S. Electrochemical Synthesis of Ferrate (VI): Factors Influencing Synthesis and Current Research Trends. Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Mechanics. 2024;117(1):72-90. 10.37934/aram.117.1.7290
  16. Rai PK, Lee J, Kailasa SK, Kwon EE, Tsang YF, Ok YS, et al. A critical review of ferrate (VI)-based remediation of soil and groundwater. Environmental research. 2018;160:420-48. 10.1016/j.envres.2017.10.016
  17. Ghernaout D, Naceur M. Ferrate (VI): In situ generation and water treatment–A review. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2011;30(1-3):319-32. 10.5004/dwt.2011.2217
  18. Tiwari D. Ferrate (VI) a greener solution: Synthesis, characterization, and multifunctional use in treating metal-complexed species in aqueous solution. Ferrites and Ferrates: Chemistry and Applications in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Remediation: ACS Publications; 2016. p. 161-220.
  19. Yates BJ, Zboril R, Sharma VK. Engineering aspects of ferrate in water and wastewater treatment–a review. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A. 2014;49(14):1603-14. 10.1080/10934529.2014.950924
  20. Korogodin A, Ivanov S. Assessment of the journal bearing health status in a drum mill used as a part of arctic complex mining equipment. 10.30686/1609-9192-2024-6-144-151
  21. Diaz M, Doederer K, Keller J, Cataldo M, Donose B-C, Ali Y, et al. Towards in situ electro-generation of ferrate for drinking water treatment: A comparison of three low-cost sacrificial iron electrodes. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry. 2021;880:114897. 10.1016/j.jelechem.2020.114897
  22. Barışçı S, Ulu F, Särkkä H, Dimoglo A, Sillanpää M. Electrosynthesis of ferrate (VI) ion using high purity iron electrodes: Optimization of influencing parameters on the process and investigating its stability. International Journal of Electrochemical Science. 2014;9(6):3099-117. 10.1016/S1452-3981(23)07995-6
  23. Deng Y, Guan X. Unlocking the potential of ferrate (VI) in water treatment: Toward one-step multifunctional solutions. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2024;464:132920. 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132920
  24. Han H, Li J, Ge Q, Wang Y, Chen Y, Wang B. Green ferrate (VI) for multiple treatments of fracturing wastewater: Demulsification, visbreaking, and chemical oxygen demand removal. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019;20(8):1857. 10.3390/ijms20081857
  25. Ding L. Removal of methyl mercaptan from foul gas by in-situ production of ferrate (VI) for odour control. 2013.
  26. Petkova AP, Gorbatyuk SM, Sharafutdinova GR, Nagovitsyn VA. Selection of materials and technologies for the electrochemical synthesis of sodium ferrate. Metallurgist. 2024;68(3):449-59. 10.1007/s11015-024-01747-w
  27. Pryakhin E, Azarov V. Comparative analysis of the use of epoxy and fluoroplastic polymer compositions as internal smooth coatings of the inner cavity of steel main gas pipelines. 2024. 10.17580/cisisr.2024.02.16
  28. Shulga E, Karamov R, S. Sergeichev I, D. Konev S, I. Shurygina L, S. Akhatov I, et al. Fused filament fabricated polypropylene composite reinforced by aligned glass fibers. Materials. 2020;13(16):3442. 10.3390/ma13163442
  29. Quino-Favero J, Eyzaguirre R, Mogrovejo P, Prieto P, del Pino LF. Electrochemical synthesis of ferrate (VI): optimization of parameters and evaluation of their impact in production cost. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2018;113:179-86. 10.5004/dwt.2018.22262
  30. Azizifard A, Arkat J, Farughi H. Sustainable surface water management and wastewater treatment plant location: A case study of Urmia lake. International Journal of Engineering Transactions A: Basics 2020;33(4):621-30. 10.5829/ije.2020.33.04a.13
  31. Alsheyab M, Jiang J-Q, Stanford C. On-line production of ferrate with an electrochemical method and its potential application for wastewater treatment–A review. Journal of Environmental Management. 2009;90(3):1350-6. 10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.10.001
  32. Mikhailov A, Shibanov D, Bessonov A, Bouguebrine C. Сomprehensive Assessment Production Efficiency of Electric Rope Shovel through Operator Qualification Criteria. International Journal of Engineering Transactions A: Basics. 2024;37(07):1231. 10.5829/IJE.2024.37.07A.03
  33. Litvinenko VS, Dvoynikov MV, Trushko VL. Elaboration of a conceptual solution for the development of the Arctic shelf from seasonally flooded coastal areas. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2022;32(1):113-9. 10.1016/j.ijmst.2021.09.010
  34. Bazhin VY, Ustinova YV, Fedorov SN, Shalabi MEK. Improvement of energy efficiency of ore-thermal furnaces in smelting of alumosilicic raw materials. Записки Горного института. 2023(261 (eng)):384-91.