Abstract
Algae and suspended colloidal particles produced high turbidity in water, weakened water purification, and threatened the safety of the water supply. In this study, a series of composite coagulants (atp-st-CTA) composed of a cationic starch (st-CTA) and attapulgite (ATP) with different fed mass ratios were fabricated by a simple method to coagulate kaolin suspension with initial turbidity of 80.0 NTU and Chlorella suspension with 0.25 mg/L of chlorophyll a (chla), respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy investigated the structural characteristics of atp-st-CTA. The maximum turbidity and chla removal rates of atp-st-CTA were 92.2% and 100.0%, respectively, at natural pH conditions. The effects of the fed mass ratio of st-CTA to ATP in the composites, dose, pH, and coexisting humic acid on the coagulation performance of atp-st-CTA were comprehensively investigated. Based on the apparent coagulation behaviors, the zeta potentials of the supernatants after coagulation, and the flocs properties, the coagulation mechanisms of atp-st-CTA were discussed in detail. The complete charge neutralization due to st-CTA and the enhanced sedimentation by ATP synergistically removed turbidity and algae from the water efficiently. In short, atp-st-CTA as a talented material has a notable prospect in applications of water treatment owing to its advantages of environmental friendliness, low cost, and high efficiency.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42061144014 and 51978325) and the Quanzhou City Science & Technology Program of China (Grant No. 2021CT001).
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Efficient removal of algae and turbidity from water by a composite coagulant composed of a cationic starch and attapulgite
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Jin, J., Xia, W., Hu, P. et al. Efficient removal of algae and turbidity from water by a composite coagulant composed of a cationic starch and attapulgite. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 65, 2979–2989 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-022-2123-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-022-2123-3