The use of «coasorption» concept while describing the effect of coagulants on the wastewater aqua systems (for discussion)

Summary

The widespread use of chemical coagulation in purification of natural water and industrial wastewater is due, on the one hand, to the complex chemical composition and phase-disperse state of their aqua systems, and on the other hand, to the multifactorial effect of coagulants on them. The main mechanisms of interaction between coagulants and pollutants are considered through the example of industrial wastewater treatment containing organic substances (surfactants and synthetic dyes). The physicochemical term «coagulation» reflects only one of the mechanisms of the effect of coagulants on pollutants. The currently accepted process parameters «dose of coagulant» and «specific dose of coagulant» do not reflect the variety of interactions of pollutants with coagulant salts either, and are not linked to the result of coagulation. This makes it difficult to describe the collective effect of physicochemical processes while adding coagulants to the treated water and to quantify it. The solution to the problem is possible introducing the concept of «coasorption» that determines the multifactorial origin of the interaction of coagulants and pollutants in the processes of wastewater treatment by coagulation; and the process parameter «specific coasorption» that establishes a quantitative relationship between the concentrations of pollutants in raw wastewater and effluent with a dose of coagulant. The specific coasorption functions are graphically presented in the form of coasorption isotherms for two types of surfactants and synthetic dyes. Based on the results of the analysis of the features of the isotherms, it is shown that they reflect different mechanisms of interaction between coagulants and pollutants. The use of coasorption as a technological concept provides for identifying the mechanisms of interaction of pollutants with a coagulant and establishing the best conditions for the coagulation process. The functional description of the coasorption isotherms allows extrapolating the results of trial coagulation in a wide range of pollutant concentrations. The practical importance of specific coasorption isotherms provides for determining the dosages of chemicals during coagulation of water based on the initial concentration of pollutants and effluent standard.

Key words

wastewater , coagulation , sorption , coagulation , aqua system , heterocoagulation , adagulation , coasorption , specific coasorption