Chapter 2
Natural Coagulates for Wastewater
Treatment; A Review for Application
and Mechanism
Mohammed Al-Sahari, Adel Ali Saeed Al-Gheethi,
and Radin Maya Saphira Radin Mohamed
Abstract The increase of water demand and wastewater generation is among the
global concerns in the world. The less effective management of water sources leads to
serious consequences, the direct disposal of untreated wastewater is associated with
the environmental pollution, elimination of aquatic life and the spread of deadly
epidemics. The flocculation process is one of the most important stages in water and
wastewater treatment plants, wherein this phase the plankton, colloidal particles,
and pollutants are precipitated and removed. Two major types of coagulants are
used in the flocculation process included the chemical and natural coagulants. Many
studies have been performed to optimize the flocculation process while most of these
studies have confirmed the hazardous effects of chemical coagulants utilization on the
ecosystem. This chapter reviews a summary of the coagulation/flocculation processes
using natural coagulants as well as reviews one of the most effective natural methods
of water and wastewater treatment.
2.1 Introduction
Human activities and the over population are among the major reason for environmental pollution, where an enormous amount of natural water is employed to serve
the agricultural, industrial and other activities, which in turn produce tons of contaminated wastewater. Huge quantities of untreated wastewater are disposed of directly
to natural water resources in many low and middle-income countries, which cause
environmental and health issues such as the prevalence of the harmful algal blooms,
M. Al-Sahari · A. A. S. Al-Gheethi (B) · R. M. S. Radin Mohamed (B)
Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Micropollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
(UTHM), 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
e-mail: adel@uthm.edu.my; adelalghithi@gmail.com
R. M. S. Radin Mohamed
e-mail: maya@uthm.edu.my
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. A. S. Al-Gheethi et al. (eds.), Prospects of Fresh Market Wastes Management
in Developing Countries, Water Science and Technology Library 92,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42641-5_2
17
Natural Coagulates for Wastewater
Treatment; A Review for Application
and Mechanism
Mohammed Al-Sahari, Adel Ali Saeed Al-Gheethi,
and Radin Maya Saphira Radin Mohamed
Abstract The increase of water demand and wastewater generation is among the
global concerns in the world. The less effective management of water sources leads to
serious consequences, the direct disposal of untreated wastewater is associated with
the environmental pollution, elimination of aquatic life and the spread of deadly
epidemics. The flocculation process is one of the most important stages in water and
wastewater treatment plants, wherein this phase the plankton, colloidal particles,
and pollutants are precipitated and removed. Two major types of coagulants are
used in the flocculation process included the chemical and natural coagulants. Many
studies have been performed to optimize the flocculation process while most of these
studies have confirmed the hazardous effects of chemical coagulants utilization on the
ecosystem. This chapter reviews a summary of the coagulation/flocculation processes
using natural coagulants as well as reviews one of the most effective natural methods
of water and wastewater treatment.
2.1 Introduction
Human activities and the over population are among the major reason for environmental pollution, where an enormous amount of natural water is employed to serve
the agricultural, industrial and other activities, which in turn produce tons of contaminated wastewater. Huge quantities of untreated wastewater are disposed of directly
to natural water resources in many low and middle-income countries, which cause
environmental and health issues such as the prevalence of the harmful algal blooms,
M. Al-Sahari · A. A. S. Al-Gheethi (B) · R. M. S. Radin Mohamed (B)
Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Micropollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
(UTHM), 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
e-mail: adel@uthm.edu.my; adelalghithi@gmail.com
R. M. S. Radin Mohamed
e-mail: maya@uthm.edu.my
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. A. S. Al-Gheethi et al. (eds.), Prospects of Fresh Market Wastes Management
in Developing Countries, Water Science and Technology Library 92,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42641-5_2
17