Abstract
Water is fundamental in all ecosystems and indispensable for different biological processes: anthropic processes have altered the quality and quantity of water and caused imbalances. The water in the upper basin of the river Bogotá shows high levels of turbidity, due to non-dissolved solids like algae, muds, microbes or other particles, caused by the shedding of wastes, which absorb and disperse the light which pierces them, and thus increase the degree of turbidity and reduce the quality of the water. Aim: To assess the effect, as natural coagulants, of the seeds of guayaba (guava), Psidium guajava L, or the episperm of the seeds of avocado, Persea americana. Method: We used the jar test with parameters of design and control in standardized conditions, different combinations of doses of the coagulant and a rapid mixture time, velocity gradient and sedimentation time for the evaluation of three extracts of each seed in its respective solution of water, one with 10% ethanol and another with 10% acetic acid. Three tannins were used as an organic control: quebracho (Schinopsis balansae), mimosa (Acacia dealbata) and castaño (chestnut, Castanea sativa); and aluminum sulfate () was used as an inorganic control. The water samples were taken from the upper basin of the río Bogotá in La Marinilla sector, near the road between Chocontá and Villapinzón. Findings: In all cases, it was found that the use of the extract of the Psidium guajava L in a water solution with 10% of acetic acid reduced the levels of turbidity, with an effectiveness of 99.15% and 98.36%. The results obtained from the episperm of the seeds of avocado, Persea americana Mill. likewise showed a reduction in the levels of turbidity, with the extract in a solution with 10% of acetic acid the most effective, at 80.45%. Castaño was the tannin which showed the highest yield, with an effectiveness of 93.72%. Application: This investigation not only showed benefits in the search for new alternatives for natural coagulants but it also highlighted the importance of being able to reuse industrial residues. Keywords: Coagulant Activity, Persea americana Mill. Psidium guajava L
Highlights
The contamination of waters is a cause of millions of deaths in the world, which is the reason why it is necessary to make water potable with basic treatments like clarification, disinfection, and chemical and organoleptic treatment
The coagulant activities of the extracts of the seeds were compared with the coagulant activity of the aluminum sulfate and tannins in samples of water gathered from the upper basin of the river Bogotá, in the sector known as la Marinilla
On the basis of the results obtained and their subsequent analysis, we conclude that of the six extracts which were evaluated, the seeds of Psidium guajava L in 10% of acetic acid were the most effective when compared with the aluminum sulfate control
Summary
The contamination of waters is a cause of millions of deaths in the world, which is the reason why it is necessary to make water potable with basic treatments like clarification, disinfection, and chemical and organoleptic treatment. When the appearance of the water is unpleasant, it means that it is not free of turbidity and indicates its physical-chemical and ecosystemic conditions suffer from alterations which range from a higher temperature or offensive odors to the loss of species To solve these problems, communities which rely on such waters have used conventional methods of water treatment, like coagulation, which consists of removing the suspended particles with the use of chemical coagulants[2]: there are a wide range of coagulants and flocculants which are commonly used to clarify different types of waters. The conventional coagulants and flocculants, which are based on aluminum salts and polymers, present some problems, like the need to use a large amount of the substances and the difficulties of storing and handling them and determining the correct doses Growing studies in this field have used vegetal species like Moringa oleifera[5,6,7,8,9,10,11], extracts of the seeds of beans[12], toasted grains of maize (Zea mays), Cicer arietinum and Dolichos lablab[13], Opuntia ficus-indica cactus 14, Strychnos potatorum[15,16,17], Okra[18], Manihot esculenta Crantz[19], Opuntia cochenillifera[20] and Cactus lefaria[21]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
