Partial Replacement of Alum Coagulant by Green Coagulant: A Novel Approach for Removing Turbidity from Kaolin Synthetic Water

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

Environmental Research Center, University of Technology- Iraq

10.22059/poll.2024.369833.2192

Abstract

Turbidity is of great concern in drinking water treatment. Coagulation-flocculation (CF) process is widely applied for removing turbidity, which depends on coagulant type. Alum-chemical coagulant is commonly used due to its superiority in removing it. However, alum has been associated with several adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Natural coagulants (eco-friendly materials) cannot be a feasible alternative to alum due to their limited coagulating performance in turbidity removal. In our previous research, novel approach to reduce alum impact by partially replacing it with natural coagulant was developed based on two consecutive treatments of CF process. Its concept was that a natural coagulant was used in primary treatment to significantly reduce turbidity and alum was used in secondary treatment at a minimum dose. This approach was successfully applied for treating bentonite turbid water. To verify if its concept is feasible for treating kaolin turbid water, this research was carried out.
Experimental results showed that the novel approach achieved superior performance in reducing turbidity of treated water from 950 NTU to less than 5 NTU (i.e., satisfying the WHO drinking water standards) and decreasing alum dose required by 33 and 50% using palm bark and watermelon coagulants, respectively when compared with alum control treatment (i.e., replacing partially alum). The novel approach findings in current research are consistent with our previous research. Concluding its concept is validated with two types of bentonite and kaolin turbid waters. Further work needs to verify if its concept is feasible for treating river surface water. 

Keywords

Main Subjects


Al-Anzi, B. S., Naik, M. U. D., & Ahmad, M. (2022). The Imperative Need of Metal Salt for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater via the Synergic Coagulation-Flocculation Method. Polymers, 14(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14091651
Alazaiza, M. Y. D., Albahnasawi, A., Ali, G. A. M., Bashir, M. J. K., Nassani, D. E., Al Maskari, T., Abu Amr, S. S., & Abujazar, M. S. S. (2022). Application of Natural Coagulants for Pharmaceutical Removal from Water and Wastewater: A Review. In Water (Switzerland) (Vol. 14, Issue 2). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020140
American Public Health Association (APHA). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 23thed.; American Public Health Association/American Water Works Association/Water Environment Federation: Washington, DC, USA, 2017.
Ali, A. H., Tlaiaa, Y. S., & Razak Nasir, Z. A. (2019). Sustainable Used of Natural Coagulants Aid for Enhancing the Performance of Alum to Treat Turbid Water. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 518(2). https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/518/2/022014
Al-Sameraiy, M. (2012). A Novel Water Pretreatment Approach for Turbidity Removal Using Date Seeds and Pollen Sheath. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 04(02), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2012.42010
Al-Sameraiy, M. (2023). Application of Dual Coagulant with Two Modes for Treatment of Dust Storms Synthetic Turbid Water: Comparative Performance. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2775(1). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0140287
Benalia, A., Derbal, K., Khalfaoui, A., Bouchareb, R., Panico, A., Gisonni, C., Crispino, G., Pirozzi, F., & Pizzi, A. (2021). Use of aloe vera as an organic coagulant for improving drinking water quality. Water (Switzerland), 13(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/w13152024
Benalia, A., Derbal, K., Khalfaoui, A., Pizzi, A., & Medjahdi, G. (2022). The use of aloe vera as natural coagulant in algerian drinking water treatment plant. Journal of Renewable Materials, 10(3), 625–637. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.017848
Beyene, H. D., Hailegebrial, T. D., & Dirersa, W. B. (2016). Investigation of Coagulation Activity of Cactus Powder in Water Treatment. Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2016, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7815903
Birhanu, Y., & Leta, S. (2021). Application of response surface methodology to optimize removal efficiency of water turbidity by low-cost natural coagulant (Odaracha soil) from Saketa District, Ethiopia. Results in Chemistry, 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2021.100108
Cui, H., Huang, X., Yu, Z., Chen, P., & Cao, X. (2020). Application progress of enhanced coagulation in water treatment. RSC Advances, 10(34), 20231–20244. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ra02979c
Davarpanah, L., & Abdollahzadeh Sharghi, E. (2019). Performance of Continuous Electrocoagulation Process for Turbidity Removal from Sand Filter Backwash Water. International Journal of Engineering Transactions C: Aspects, 32(12), 1696–1703. https://doi.org/10.5829/ije.2019.32.12c.01
Dayarathne, H. N. P., Angove, M. J., Paudel, S. R., Ngo, H. H., Guo, W., & Mainali, B. (2022). Optimisation of dual coagulation process for the removal of turbidity in source water using streaming potential. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2021.100714
El-Gaayda, J., Titchou, F. E., Barra, I., Karmal, I., Afanga, H., Zazou, H., Yap, P. S., Abidin, Z. Z., Hamdani, M., & Akbour, R. A. (2022). Optimization of turbidity and dye removal from synthetic wastewater using response surface methodology: Effectiveness of Moringa oleifera seed powder as a green coagulant. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.106988
Gandiwa, B. I., Moyo, L. B., Ncube, S., Mamvura, T. A., Mguni, L. L., & Hlabangana, N. (2020). Optimisation of using a blend of plant based natural and synthetic coagulants for water treatment: (Moringa Oleifera-Cactus Opuntia-alum blend). South African Journal of Chemical Engineering, 34, 158–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajce.2020.07.005
Hu, X., Hu, P., & Yang, H. (2022). Influences of charge properties and hydrophobicity on the coagulation of inorganic and organic matters from water associated with starch-based coagulants. Chemosphere, 298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134346
Jamshidi, A., Rezaei, S., Hassani, G., Firoozi, Z., Ghaffari, H. R., & Sadeghi, H. (2020). Coagulating potential of Iranian oak (Quercus Branti) extract as a natural coagulant in turbidity removal from water. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 18(1), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-020-00449-0
Katrivesis, F. K., Karela, A. D., Papadakis, V. G., & Paraskeva, C. A. (2019). Revisiting of coagulation-flocculation processes in the production of potable water. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 27, 193–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2018.12.007
Kusuma, H. S., Amenaghawon, A. N., Darmokoesoemo, H., Neolaka, Y. A. B., Widyaningrum, B. A., Onowise, S. U., & Anyalewechi, C. L. (2022). A comparative evaluation of statistical empirical and neural intelligence modeling of Manihot esculenta-derived leaves extract for optimized bio-coagulation-flocculation of turbid water. Industrial Crops and Products, 186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115194
Mahanna, H., Fouad, M., Zedan, T., & Mossad, M. (2024). Effective turbid water treatment using natural eco-friendly coagulants derived from oat and onion seeds. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 21(5), 4773–4787. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-05326-5
Megersa, M., Gach, W., Beyene, A., Ambelu, A., & Triest, L. (2019). Effect of salt solutions on coagulation performance of Moringa stenopetala and Maerua subcordata for turbid water treatment. Separation and Purification Technology, 221, 319–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2019.04.013
Mohd Asharuddin, S., Othman, N., Mohd Zin, N. S., Tajarudin, H. A., Md. Din, M. F., & Kumar, V. (2018). Performance Assessment of Cassava Peel Starch and Alum as Dual Coagulant for Turbidity Removal in Dam Water. International Journal of Integrated Engineering, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.30880/ijie.2018.10.04.029
Mohd-Salleh, S. N. A., Mohd-Zin, N. S., & Othman, N. (2019). A review of wastewater treatment using natural material and its potential as aid and composite coagulant. In Sains Malaysiana (Vol. 48, Issue 1, pp. 155–164). Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4801-18
Mungondori, H. H., Muchingami, T. A., Taziwa, R. T., & Chaukura, N. (2021). Performance intensification of the coagulation process in drinking water treatment. Water SA, 47(2), 154–161. https://doi.org/10.17159/wsa/2021.v47.i2.10911
Ramavandi, B. (2014). Treatment of water turbidity and bacteria by using a coagulant extracted from Plantago ovata. Water Resources and Industry, 6, 36–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wri.2014.07.001
Skaf, D. W., Punzi, V. L., Rolle, J. T., & Cullen, E. (2021). Impact of Moringa Oleifera extraction conditions on zeta potential and coagulation effectiveness. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.104687
World Health Organization (WHO). (2017). Potable reuse: guidance for producing safe drinking-water.
Xu, S., Shi, J., Deng, J., Sun, H., Wu, J., & Ye, Z. (2023). Flocculation and dewatering of the Kaolin slurry treated by single- and dual-polymer flocculants. Chemosphere, 328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138445
Yehia, H. M. A.-S., & Said, S. M. (2021). Drinking Water Treatment: pH Adjustment Using Natural Physical Field. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 09(06), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.4236/jbm.2021.96005
Zedan, T., Mossad, M., Fouad, M., & Mahanna, H. (2022). Potential application of natural coagulant extraction from walnut seeds for water turbidity removal. Water Practice and Technology, 17(3 684), 698. https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2022.019
Zemmouri, H., Drouiche, M., Sayeh, A., Lounici, H., & Mameri, N. (2012). Coagulation flocculation test of Keddara’s water dam using chitosan and sulfate aluminium. Procedia Engineering, 33, 254–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2012.01.1202