Evaluating Al-based coagulants for drinking water facilities using Jar test and CCD/RSM analysis.

Area of Science:

• Water Treatment Technologies
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Aluminum-based coagulants are widely used for drinking water treatment.
• Optimizing coagulant dosage and pH is crucial for efficient turbidity removal.
• Research into improved coagulants can reduce treatment chemical requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare eight polyaluminum chloride (PACl) coagulants for turbidity removal.
• To optimize the dosage and pH for the best-performing PACl using response surface methodology (RSM).
• To provide data for enhancing turbidity removal in water treatment facilities.

Main Methods:

• Jar tests were conducted to compare the efficacy of eight PACls against alum.
• Central Composite Design (CCD) coupled with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed for optimization.
• Turbidity was measured using settled and filtered water analysis.

Main Results:

• All tested PACls outperformed alum in turbidity reduction.
• Hyperlon 4064 demonstrated superior performance among the evaluated PACls.
• Optimized conditions (dosage and pH) for Hyperlon 4064 yielded low final turbidity levels (21.7 mg/L settled, 27.95 mg/L filtered).
• RSM models showed high predictive accuracy (R² = 0.9881 and 0.9809).

Conclusions:

• Hyperlon 4064 is a highly effective Al-based coagulant for drinking water treatment.
• Optimized use of Hyperlon 4064 can significantly improve turbidity removal efficiency.
• The study provides valuable insights for water treatment plants utilizing Al-based coagulants.