Abstract
The world needs to adapt to recycling and reusing water due to limited resources. So, decision-makers and policy leaders should use sustainable practices to improve protection and pollution remediation. Aluminum sulfate is used for surface water treatment, which leads to waste sludge being disposed into water bodies, causing environmental pollution. Coagulants’ regeneration from sludge improves water quality and reuse options. Organics accumulation is the primary concern regarding coagulant regeneration, using acidification. Our study investigated the raw water quality, aluminum sulfate, and sludge and evaluated its influence on coagulant recovery, using acidification, from eight water treatment plants (WTPs) in Cairo, Egypt. The significant elements in the tested sludge were aluminum with a concentration range of 86.65–688.85 mg/g sludge in El-Rawda and Embaba and iron with a concentration range of 9.45–7.45 mg/g in Shamal Helwan and El-Fostat. Recovery percentages of aluminum, iron, manganese, and strontium recorded the highest values 97%, 89%, 89%, and 92% for Embaba, Rod El-Farag, Embaba, El-Rawda, respectively. The correlation between metal concentration and recovery was insignificant in the studied matrix and conditions for the four metals. Total organic carbon (TOC) transfer into recovered solutions was maximum in El-Fostat (82.6%) and minimum in Embaba (36.7%). The TOC transfer percentage depends on the matrix of the sludge. The best location for coagulant recovery is at the Embaba WTP, where there were minimum organics transfer and maximum Al recovery.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors proudly acknowledge the reference lab for water and the reference lab for wastewater and the general department for quality and environmental affairs in the holding company for water and wastewater, Egypt, and Professor Peter Jarvis, Professor of Water Science & Technology Cranfield Water Science Institute, the UK, for their thankful support and efforts introduced to our research to reach its final form.
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ASE, TMAR, and MMHK formulated the research idea and initialized the first steps to start. ASE and MMF provided the research plan and allocated available resources. MMF performed the practical part of sampling, sludge analysis, coagulant recovery, and analysis. ASE and MMF reviewed the generated raw data and started writing the manuscript. TMAR, ASE, and MMHK reviewed the research article several times to ensure the best quality. MMF applied the required modification for the research article. Finally, all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Fouad, M.M., El-Gendy, A.S., Khalil, M.M.H. et al. Aluminum sulfate regeneration from surface water treatment waste in Cairo, Egypt. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 61450–61459 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15140-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15140-6