Purification of Raw Surface Water Using Electro-Coagulation Method

Abstract

The purification of raw surface water from its organic, inorganic and microbial content using the electro-coagulation method was investigated. Batch coagulation experiments were conducted using the jar-test method. A pair of aluminum electrodes (suspended in the jar) was charged with low voltage current for releasing aluminum ions in the raw water to precipitate the suspended matter. The optimum current density was 0.6325 mA cm−2. The coagulation efficiency was evaluated by determining the turbidity of treated water. The efficiency reduction in raw water turbidity was 90%, leading to a change in water Zeta potential from −85 mV (before treatment) to −40 mV (after treatment), i.e. the particles tended to be destabilized and the coagulation process became predominant. Water contents of nitrates, phosphates and sulfates were considerably reduced by 77.5, 83.3 and 20.0%, respectively. Also, this method is effective in reducing both the total viable bacterial count (TVBC) and total coliforms (TC) by a ratio of 1/104 and 1/103, respectively.