Application of Natural Coagulants for Pharmaceutical Removal from Water and Wastewater: A Review

Pharmaceutical contamination threatens both humans and the environment, and several technologies have been adapted for the removal of pharmaceuticals. The coagulation-flocculation process demonstrates a feasible solution for pharmaceutical removal. However, the chemical coagulation process has its drawbacks, such as excessive and toxic sludge production and high production cost. To overcome these shortcomings, the feasibility of natural-based coagulants, due to their biodegradability, safety, and availability, has been investigated by several researchers. This review presented the recent advances of using natural coagulants for pharmaceutical compound removal from aqueous solutions. The main mechanisms of natural coagulants for pharmaceutical removal from water and wastewater are charge neutralization and polymer bridges. Natural coagulants extracted from plants are more commonly investigated than those extracted from animals due to their affordability. Natural coagulants are competitive in terms of their performance and environmental sustainability. Developing a reliable extraction method is required, and therefore further investigation is essential to obtain a complete insight regarding the performance and the effect of environmental factors during pharmaceutical removal by natural coagulants. Finally, the indirect application of natural coagulants is an essential step for implementing green water and wastewater treatment technologies.

Utilization of Moringa oleifera as Natural Coagulant for Water Purification

The plant-based natural coagulant has the potential to substitute the chemical coagulant in the water treatment process. In this work, the potential of plant-based natural coagulants in the ability of turbidity removal was identified. The Moringa oleifera seed was selected for the batch analysis test such as pH, contact time, agitation, and dosage. The high alkaline water decreases the effectiveness of plant-based natural coagulants. The agitation and contact time show the importance of the coagulation process. The optimum turbidity removal rate in pH is 4, the contact time is 60 seconds and 3000 seconds for coagulation and flocculation, respectively, the agitation is 300 RPM and 30 RPM for coagulation and flocculation, and lastly, the dosage is 10 g of Moringa oleifera seed. Finally, the plant-based natural coagulants demonstrated the ability to remove turbidity and could be used in place of chemical coagulants.

Turbid Water Treatment Using Deshelled Carica papaya Seed: Analysis Via Factorial Design

Natural coagulants are proven to be a good alternative to conventional coagulants with the removal of various pollutants and are environmentally friendly. Despite its advantages, the least studies were carried out on local agro-wastes such as papaya seeds as natural coagulants concerning different operational factors. The study analyzes the main and interactions effect between the coagulant dosage, initial turbidity, and pH on deshelled Carica papaya seeds for turbid water treatment. A 2-level factorial design was used to investigate the main and interaction effects of the main operational factors, viz. coagulant dosage (50-200 mg/L), pH (3-7), and initial turbidity (100-500 NTU) on the turbidity removal of the synthetic turbid water. Based on individual performance, the results suggested that initial turbidity and pH are the most significant factors among the investigated operational factors. In combination, all interactions are significant, but the interaction between initial turbidity and pH is most significant, with 97.2% turbidity removal. Upon application of Carica papaya seed as a natural coagulant in water and wastewater treatment, these operating variables and their interactions are best to be considered.

Feasibility Study on Application of Natural Coagulants

Creating nations are confronting consumable water gracefully issues because of lacking money-related assets. The expense of water treatment is expanding, and the nature of waterway water isn’t steady because of a suspended and colloidal molecule load brought about via land advancement and high tempest overflow during the stormy season. Because of numerous issues made by utilizing engineered coagulants a popularity to locate an elective characteristic coagulant emerges. In this exertion, an endeavor is made to examine the likelihood of normal coagulants like Cassia Alata, Calotropis Procera, Hyacinth bean, Banana leaves, Carcia Papaya, Acacia Mearnsii, Jatropha Curcas, Cactus, and Tamarind seeds on the reduction of turbidity of water. The clump coagulation test was done to decide the ideal coagulant amount required for the evacuation of turbidity of 100 NTU and to recognize the successful coagulant out of the nine chose normal coagulants. From this study, it may be accomplished that banana leaf can be used as an effectual coagulant for low and medium turbid water, whereas for high turbid water cactus can be used as an effective coagulant. Further examinations were completed utilizing the recognized coagulant to streamline the parameters like coagulant measurements, pH, introductory turbid focus, blending time, blending rate, and settling time. The higher percentage removal of turbidity was observed when pH was maintained at 6.5, initial turbid concentration was 500NTU, rapid mixing time given was 1 minute, slow mixing time with 25 minutes, and settling time of 25 minutes.

Removal of Turbidity and TDS from Wastewater by Using Natural Coagulants — A Review

The highest quantity of wastewater is produced from lather industries that is mixed with oil and other pollutants and under goes to the drains from sinks, toilets, laundries, showers, etc. The wastewater is usually classified as industrial wastewater or municipal wastewater. As the population of the earth is very huge, there is a requirement that the treatment of wastewater become necessary by using different techniques. The removal of TDS and Turbidity are here done by natural coagulants such as Strychnospotatorum, Passion fruit, Phaseolus Vulgaris, Chitosan, Cicer Arietinum, Cactus, Nirmali seeds, Vingna Mungo, Ripe Okra, Surjana seed powder (SSP), Orange peel, Moringa Oleifera, and Maize seed powder. This is found from the literature review that; Jar tests were prominently used in the coagulation-flocculation process for the removal TDS and Turbidity from wastewater. The objective of this review is to find out the scope of different natural coagulants as an alternative compared to other commercial chemical-based coagulants. It has been found from the literature review that these natural coagulants are alternative, cheaper, eco-friendly, and easy to use in wastewater treatment.