Coagulation and flocculation behaviour of snail shell coagulant in fibre- cement plant effluent

Authors

  • J.U. Ani Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
  • M.C.Menkiti Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
  • O.D. Onukwuli Department of Chemical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

Abstract

The ability of a coagulant prepared from snail shell (SS) to carry out removal of suspended solid (TSS) in a fibre-cement plant effluent was evaluated at bench scale using a standard jar test apparatus operated at room temperature. In order to verify the results obtained from the study, alum was used in the control experiment. The effects of variation of coagulant dosage and flocculation reaction kinetics at the pH of the waste water were investigated. The optimum coagulant dosage for turbidity removal was found to range between 400 and 500mg/l at the end of 30 minutes of coagulation. The highest values of K recorded are 4.5x10-3 and 7.6x10-3 l/mg. min for SS and alum at dosage of 400mg/l. From the results obtained it is suggested that SS is an efficient coagulation agent and a potential alterative for the treatment of waste water at the conditions of the experiment.

Downloads

Published

2010-01-01

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2010): Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Section

Articles