Headway on natural polymeric coagulants in water and wastewater treatment operations

Abstract

Metal and polymer based materials are the conventional coagulants used in water and wastewater treatment operations. Despite the wide applicability of these genera of coagulants, the challenges associated with the usage have engendered research efforts towards the development of green biobased coagulants, whose applications are capable of obviating the challenges synonymous with the usage of these conventional coagulants. Taking into cognizance the goals that informed the development of green technology, perspectives on the promising non-conventional coagulants that are green and biobased are presented in this treatise. The perspectives on these green biobased coagulants were anchored on the background information of the material, the economic importance, mode of application of the extract as coagulant, underlying coagulating mechanism and the shortcomings of the usage in water and wastewater treatment operations. On the basis of the information provided by different researchers, on the appraisals of these green biobased coagulants for water and wastewater treatment operations, the factors militating against the transition of the applications of these non-conventional coagulants from bench-scale to real life applications were discussed.