Pascaline Sanga^1*, Yves Iradukunda¹, Jean Claude Munyemana^2*

Show more
¹ College of Petrochemical Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
Show less

Abstract: The chemical coagulation-flocculation technology is touted as one of the valuable techniques and widely used for wastewater treatment because of its simplicity and effectiveness. So far, a number of flocculants have been fabricated to ameliorate the flocculation process in water treatment such as alum, polyaluminium chloride. Despite its broad application in water treatment, accumulation of alum in sludge has been reported as the main source of a disposal problem. Furthermore, recent studies suggested that the presence of alum in sludge may lead to human health problems. Here in, we have used alkalization method to recover alum present in sludge collected from Kimisagara water treatment plant located in Kigali capital city of Rwanda. The recovered alum was used more than one time and showed excellent flocculation efficiency. Some physical parameters such as pH, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Conductivity and Turbidity were systematically tested and compared with those of World Health Organization (WHO) and Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) standards for drinking water. The results showed that alum present in sludge can be recovered and reused for multiple times.

Keywords: Sludge, Alum, Flocculation, Turbidity, Kimisagara

Cite this paper: Sanga, P. , Iradukunda, Y. and Munyemana, J. (2018) Recycling of Alum from Water Treatment Residue and Reuse It as a Flocculating Agent for Raw Water Treatment. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6, 216-226. doi: 10.4236/gep.2018.612018.

References

[1]   Abdo, M. S. E., Ewida, K. T., & Youssef, Y. M. (1993). Recovery of Alum from Wasted Sludge Produced from Water Treatment Plants. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A: Environmental Science and Engineering and Toxicology, 28, 1205-1216.

[2]   Chu, W. (2001). Dye Removal from Textile Dye Wastewater Using Recycled Alum Sludge. Water Research, 35, 3147-3152.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(01)00015-X

[3]   Chu, W. E. I. (1999). Lead Metal Removal by Recycled Alum Sludge. Water Research, 33, 3019-3025. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00010-X

[4]   Das, S., & Mangwani, N. (2015). Ocean Acidification and Marine Microorganisms: Responses and Consequences. Oceanologia, 57, 349-361.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2015.07.003

[5]   Durowaye, S. I., Alabi, A. G. F., Sekunowo, O. I., Bolasodun, B., & Rufai, I. O. (2015). Effects of pH Variation on Corrosion of Mild Steel in Bore-Hole Water Using 1M Sodium Hydroxide Solution Effects of pH Variation on Corrosion of Mild Steel in Bore-Hole Water Using 1M Sodium Hydroxide Solution. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 4, 139-144.

[6]   EPA (2005). EPA-822-R-05-005: Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria Nonylphenol.
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/aqlife.html

[7]   Gunatilake, S. K. (2015). Methods of Removing Heavy Metals from Industrial Wastewater. Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science Studies, 1, 12-18.

[8]   Islam, M. R., Khairul, M., Sarkar, I., Afrin, T., & Khaleque, A. (2016). A Study on Total Dissolved Solids and Hardness Level of Drinking Mineral Water in Bangladesh. American Journal of Applied Chemistry, 4, 164-169. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajac.20160405.11

[9]   Jangkorn, S., Kuhakaew, S., Theantanoo, S., Klinla-or, H., & Sriwiriyarat, T. (2011). Evaluation of Reusing Alum Sludge for the Coagulation of Industrial Wastewater Containing Mixed Anionic Surfactants. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 23, 587-594.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(10)60451-2

[10]   Joshi, S., & Shrivastava, K. (2011). Recovery of Alum Coagulant from Water Treatment Plant Sludge: A Greener Approach for Water Purification. International Journal of Advanced Computer Research, 1, 101-103.

[11]   Kluczka, J., Zo, M., & Ciba, J. (2017). Assessment of Aluminum Bioavailability in Alum Sludge for Agricultural Utilization. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 189, 422.

[12]   Lloyd, D. S., Koenings, J. P., & Jacqueline, D. (2013). Effects of Turbidity in Fresh Waters of Alaska. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 7, 37-41.

[13]   Marla, S. (2003). pH in Drinking-Water (Vol. 2). WHO Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/ph.pdf

[14]   Meride, Y., & Ayenew, B. (2016). Drinking Water Quality Assessment and Its Effects on Residents Health in Wondo Genet Campus, Ethiopia. Environmental Systems Research, 5, 1.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-016-0053-6

[15]   Myre, E., & Shaw, R. (2006). The Turbidity Tube: Simple and Accurate Measurement of Turbidity in the Field.

[16]   Niquette, P., Monette, F., Azzouz, A., & Hausler, R. (2004). Impacts of Substituting Aluminum-Based Coagulants in Drinking Water Impacts of Substituting Aluminum-Based Coagulants in Drinking Water Treatment. Water Quality Research Journal of Canada, 39, 303-310.

[17]   Price, M. H. H. (2013). Sub-Lethal Metal Toxicity Effects on Salmonids: A Review (p. 64). Report Prepared for Skeena Wild Conservation Trust.

[18]   RS2 (2012). Potable Water Specification (2nd ed.). Kigali: Rwanda Bureau of Standard.

[19]   Raimon & Said, M. (2017). Laboratory Effluent Treatment by Using Coagulant Alum sulphate and Poly Aluminium Chloride (PAC). Indonesian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Chemistry, 47-51.

[20]   Scannell, P. W., & Jacobs, L. L. (2001). Effects of Total Dissolved Solids on Aquatic Organisms. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Habitat and Restoration.

[21]   Sher, F., Malik, A., & Liu, H. (2013). Industrial Polymer Effluent Treatment by Chemical Coagulation and Flocculation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 1, 684-689.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2013.07.003

[22]   Singer, M. J., George, H. A., & Childers, C. D. (2012). What Is pH and Why Do We Care (pp. 1-3).

[23]   Thirumalini, S., & Joseph, K. (2009). Correlation between Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids in Natural Waters. Malaysian Journal of Science, 28, 55-61.
https://doi.org/10.22452/mjs.vol28no1.7

[24]   United Nations (2018). Executive Summary Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation.
https://doi.org/10.1002/net.20371

[25]   WHO (2011). Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality (4th ed.). Water Quality Standards. Geneva: World Health Organization.

[26]   Wondimu, M. (2016). Examining the Impact of Household Access to Water and Sanitation on Child Malnutrition in Ethiopia.

[27]   Xu, G. R., Yan, Z. C., Wang, Y. C., & Wang, N. (2009). Recycle of Alum Recovered from Water Treatment Sludge in Chemically Enhanced Primary Treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 161, 663-669.

[28]   Yusoph, M., Diate, K., Baulo, A., & Herbito, J. (2018). Do-It-Yourself Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Filtration Apparatus Total Suspended Solids (TSS) (pp. 1-12). University Iligan Institute of Technology.