Abstract

GUZMAN, Luis; VILLABONA, Ángel; TEJADA, Candelaria  and  GARCIA, Rafael. REDUCTION OF WATER TURBIDITY USING NATURAL COAGULANTS: A REVIEW. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2013, vol.16, n.1, pp.253-262. ISSN 0123-4226.

Coagulation is the most important process in conventional water treatment. The application includes the removal of species in suspense by means of addition of chemical coagulants, which involves correlated disadvantages associated to high acquisition costs, production of large mud volumes and the fact, that they affect, significantly, the pH of the processed water. Therefore, the search of alternatives that include the utilization of coagulants of vegetal origin, between others, becomes necessary. The purpose of the present research was a literature review related to the use of natural coagulants of vegetal origin, employed in the removal of turbidity in water treatment processes and to provide important aspects on classification, efficiency and mechanisms of coagulation of each of the studied materials. As results it was found that all reported extracts of vegetal origin are efficient in the removal of the water cloud, they produce smaller quantity of mud, and that the main mechanism of coagulation is adsorption and neutralization of loads.

Keywords : vegetal coagulants; turbidity; coagulation mecha nisms; water treatment.

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