Turbidity removal by mucilage from Basella alba

Abstract

Coagulation and flocculation are preliminary used in water treatment process orturbidity removal, which popularly use synthetic chemicals with health and environmental concerns. The use of natural flocculants has known to be a promising alternativedue to their environmentally friendly behavior. This research investigated on turbidity removal efficiency of mucilage extracted from Basella alba-an indigenous plantin Viet Nam-in the role of a flocculant. The removal efficiency of mucilage was investigated in combination with polyaluminium chloride (PAC) or alum on To Lich river waterby mean of Jar tests. PAC or alum alone can remove maximum 97% and 90% turbidity of To Lich river water at itsoriginal pH for the sedimentation time of 30 minutes, respectively. The combination of mucilage and PACor alum showed an increaseinthe efficiencies of turbidity removal and a decreaseinthe amount of chemicals needed. The corresponding increases were maximum 7% and 18%, respectively; while the reduction of PAC/alum used was 75-80%.