<strong>Otimizing mixture and decantation times in the process of coagulation/flocculation of raw water using <em>Moringa oleifera</em> Lam</strong> - DOI: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v30i2.5493

Abstract

Several natural coagulants/flocculants are being studied to remove color and turbidity from raw water; however, natural coagulants have demonstrated advantages over chemical ones. Moringa oleifera Lam is a natural polymer that has become an important alternative in water treatment, acting as a clarifying agent due to the presence of a cationic protein that destabilizes the particles contained in water in liquid form. This work proposes the optimization of the coagulation, flocculation and decantation times, using different concentrations of the solution extracted from the pulp of Moringa oleifera Lam seeds as coagulant, in order to verify its efficiency in removing color and turbidity from water. Jar tests were carried out, using different mixture and decantation times, with varying concentrations of the biopolymer. It was verified that the time required to achieve a fast and slow mixture, as well as the concentration of the coagulant, influenced the removal of parameters during the process of coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation.