NATURAL COAGULANTS 1

Natural Coagulants

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In many countries around the world, water is a precious resource that is essential for

human survival. In order to make this water safe for drinking, it is often necessary to treat it

using coagulants. Coagulants are chemicals that are used to clump small particles together so that

they can be more easily removed from the water. This can help to reduce bacterial contamination

and improve the overall taste and quality of the water. While there are a number of different

types of coagulants that can be used, in this essay we will focus on natural coagulants

specifically for use in surface water treatment systems. These coagulants include things like clay

minerals, aluminosilicate different, and alum. Each of these coagulants has its own unique

properties, which can make them more or less effective in water treatment systems.

In this essay, we will explore the strengths and weaknesses of using natural coagulants

for treating drinking water in Guyana. We will also look at some of the different coagulants that

are most commonly used in this country, as well as examples where they have been successfully

implemented. By gaining a better understanding of how these coagulants work and what their

benefits and limitations are, we can help to ensure that we are using the best possible treatments

to improve the safety and quality of drinking water for the people of Guyana.

Natural coagulants are substances that are derived from natural sources and that are used

to clump small particles together in order to improve the quality of water (Ang & Mohammad,

2020). Some of the most common natural coagulants include clay minerals, aluminosilicate

different, and alum. These coagulants all have different properties, which can make them more

or less effective in water treatment systems.

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Natural coagulants work by binding small particles together so that they can be more

easily removed from the water (Al-Saati et al, 2019). This helps to reduce bacterial

contamination and improve the overall quality of the water, making it safer for human

consumption. Depending on the type of natural coagulant used and its specific properties,

different mechanisms may be involved in this process. For example, some coagulants are able to

attach themselves to small particles in the water, while others can disrupt the surface tension

between particles and increase their charge.

There are a number of countries around the world where natural coagulants have been

successfully used for water treatment. For example, in India and China, alum has been used to

improve the quality of drinking water in many cities and towns. In Mexico, clay minerals such as

bentonite are commonly used to treat surface water supplies, while aluminosilicate different has

been used in countries like Kenya and Tanzania to remove arsenic from drinking water

(Bahrodin et al, 2021). These examples demonstrate the wide range of applications for natural

coagulants in water treatment systems and highlight their effectiveness in improving the quality

and safety of drinking water.

Natural coagulants have a number of advantages and disadvantages when it comes to

treating surface water for drinking purposes. On the one hand, natural coagulants are relatively

safe and non-toxic, which makes them a good choice for treating water that will be consumed by

humans. They are also usually cheaper than synthetic coagulants, which makes them more

affordable for many water treatment systems. However, natural coagulants can also have some

drawbacks. For example, they may not be as effective at removing certain contaminants from

water, particularly those that are present in higher concentrations. Additionally, some natural
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coagulants can cause problems if they are not used correctly, such as creating too much sludge or

causing the…

References

Ang, W. L., & Mohammad, A. W. (2020). State of the art and sustainability of natural coagulants

in water and wastewater treatment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 262, 121267.

Bahrodin, M. B., Zaidi, N. S., Hussein, N., Sillanpää, M., Prasetyo, D. D., & Syafiuddin, A.

(2021). Recent advances on coagulation-based treatment of wastewater: Transition from

chemical to natural coagulant. Current Pollution Reports, 7(3), 379-391.

Al-Saati, N., Hussein, T., Abbas, M., Hashim, K. S., Al-Saati, Z., Kot, P., ... & Carnacina, I.

(2019). Statistical modelling of turbidity removal applied to non-toxic natural coagulants

in water treatment: a case study. Desalination and Water Treatment, 150, 406-412.