Effect of natural organic compounds on the removal of organic carbon in coagulation and flocculation processes

Natural organic matter (NOM) in water contains organic compounds that are both hydrophobic and hydrophilic with a wide range of molecular weights. It is composed of non-homogeneous organic compounds such as humic substances, amino acids, sugars, aliphatic and aromatic acids, and other chemical synthetic organic matters. NOM in water is a major concern not only because of its contribution to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) and taste and odor, but also its influence on the demand for coagulants and disinfectants, the removal efficiency of water treatment processes, etc. This research aims at identifying the influence of NOM in coagulation and flocculation processes in order to optimize the coagulation and flocculation conditions. In this study, pretreated pond water was used as the source water. It was observed from the experimental results that: (1) The optimum pH for coagulation to remove NOM is around 7. (2) The optimum alum dose at this pH can vary from 125-1,225 mgl-1 when the TOC is increased from 4 to 25 mgl-1. (3) The presence of secondary compounds such as Ca2+, Mg2+ divalent cations had no significant effect on the removal of organic matter. (4) The presence of clay increased the organic removal by 15%. (5) The organic compound with higher molecular weight has higher removal affinity in coagulation process. (6) Floc size and settling velocity of floc and sludge production all increased with the increase in NOM concentration. From the results of Capillary Suction Time (CST) tests, the floc formed with lower TOC readily released the water to make the dewatering process easier. (7) The organic removal efficiency was significantly different for natural water containing non-homogeneous organic compounds compared to the synthetic water containing humic acid only (homogeneous organic matter). For example, the NOM removal efficiency was 80% for the synthetic water containing humic acid with TOC of 7 mgl-1 at pH 7; but the NOM removal for the pretreated pond water was 60%.

Development of a new analytical approach based on cellulose membrane and chelator for differentiation of labile and inert metal species in aquatic systems

A new procedure was developed in this study, based on a system equipped with a cellulose membrane and a tetraethylenepentamine hexaacetate chelator (MD-TEPHA) for in situ characterization of the lability of metal species in aquatic systems. To this end, the DM-TEPHA system was prepared by adding TEPHA chelator to cellulose bags pre-purified with 1.0 mol L-1 of HCl and NaOH solutions. After the MD-TEPHA system was sealed, it was examined in the laboratory to evaluate the influence of complexation time (0-24 h), pH (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0), metal ions (Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn and Ni) and concentration of organic matter (15, 30 and 60 mg L-1) on the relative lability of metal species by TEPHA chelator. The results showed that Fe and Cu metals were complexed more slowly by TEPHA chelator in the MD-TEPHA system than were Cd, Ni and Mn in all pH used. It was also found that the pH strongly influences the process of metal complexation by the MD-TEPHA system. At all the pH levels, Cd, Mn and Ni showed greater complexation with TEPHA chelator (recovery of about 95-75%) than did Cu and Fe metals. Time also affects the lability of metal species complexed by aquatic humic substances (AHS); while Cd, Ni and Mn showed a faster kinetics, reaching equilibrium after about 100 min, and Cu and Fe approached equilibrium after 400 min. Increasing the AHS concentration decreases the lability of metal species by shifting the equilibrium to AHS-metal complexes. Our results indicate that the system under study offers an interesting alternative that can be applied to in situ experiments for differentiation of labile and inert metal species in aquatic systems. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudo da labilidade de Cu(II), Cd(II), Mn(II) e Ni(II) em substâncias húmicas aquáticas utilizando-se membranas celulósicas organomodificadas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

In situ differentiation of labile/inert metal species in Brazilian tropical rivers by means of a time-controlled batch-procedure based on TEPHA resin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fractionation of Zn, Cd and Pb in a Tropical Soil After Nine-Year Sewage Sludge Applications

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Alterações de alguns atributos físicos e das frações húmicas de um Nitossolo vermelho na sucessão milheto-soja em sistema plantio direto

No Estado de São Paulo, restrições do regime de chuvas no período de outono-inverno e temperaturas elevadas limitam a produção e a manutenção de cobertura no solo, tornando importante estudar alternativas para a implantação eficaz do Sistema Plantio Direto nesse Estado, especialmente para produção de fitomassa e manejo adequado para maior persistência da palha, em quantidade suficiente para melhoria da qualidade física e da matéria orgânica do solo. O experimento, conduzido em Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico, na Fazenda Experimental Lageado-FCA-UNESP-Botucatu, teve por objetivo estudar no sistema plantio direto as prováveis alterações de alguns atributos físicos e das frações húmicas do solo com a utilização do milheto, verificando sua resposta, em três épocas de semeadura e sob cinco manejos dos resíduos, após cinco anos de estabelecida essa sucessão. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, com esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram representadas por três épocas de semeadura da cultura do milheto: época 1 (E1), época 2 (E2) e época 3 (E3). As subparcelas foram representadas por manejos da ceifa da fitomassa, sendo: manejo 1 (M1) - ceifa a cada florescimento e retirada da fitomassa; manejo 2 (M2) - ceifa a cada florescimento e permanência da fitomassa; manejo 3 (M3) - ceifa apenas no primeiro florescimento e retirada da fitomassa; manejo 4 (M4) - ceifa apenas no primeiro florescimento e permanência da fitomassa; e manejo 5 (M5) - livre crescimento. Foram coletadas amostras de solo com estrutura indeformada para realização das análises físicas, para as quais as profundidades amostradas foram: 0-0,05, 0,05-0,10 e 0,10-0,20 m. Para fracionamento químico da matéria orgânica, as profundidades foram de 0-0,05 e 0,05-0,10 m. em relação às culturas, avaliou-se a produtividade da soja, e para o milheto, a quantidade de matéria seca produzida pela parte aérea e a percentagem de fitomassa em cobertura deixada sobre o solo. A produtividade de matéria seca do milheto decresceu na ordem E1 > E2 > E3. A densidade do solo, a macroporosidade, a microporosidade e a porosidade total variaram com a época de semeadura do milheto. A adição contínua de fitomassa com ceifa a cada florescimento e permanência da cobertura proporcionou maior incremento nas frações menos estáveis da matéria orgânica (ácido húmico e ácido fúlvico). Recomenda-se, diante das condições edafoclimáticas estudadas, a semeadura do milheto na segunda e terceira épocas com ceifa apenas no primeiro florescimento, sempre se utilizando da permanência da fitomassa, para obter melhor cobertura, qualidade física do solo (menor densidade do solo, maior porosidade total) e maior produtividade para soja.

New analytical procedure based on a cellulose bag and ionic exchanger with p-aminobenzoic acid groups for differentiation of labile and inert metal species in aquatic systems

A new procedure was developed for the in situ characterization of the lability of metal species in aquatic systems by using a system equipped with a diffusion membrane and cellulose organomodified with p-aminobenzoic acid groups (DM-Cell-PAB). To this end, the DM-Cell-PAB system was prepared by adding cellulose organomodified with p-aminobenzoic acid groups (Cell-PAB) to pre-purified cellulose bags. After the DM-Cell-PAB system was sealed, it was examined in the laboratory to evaluate the influence of complexation time, mass of exchanger, pH, metal ions (Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn, and Ni), and concentration of organic matter on the relative lability of metal species. It was found that the pH and kinetics strongly influence the process of metal complexation by the DM-Cell-PAB system. At all pH levels, Cd, Mn, and Ni showed lower complexation with Cell-PAB resin than Cu and Fe metals. Note that relative lability of metals complexed to aquatic humic substances (AHS) in the presence of Cell-PAB resin showed the following order: Cu congruent to Fe >> Ni > Mn=Cd. The results presented here also indicate that increasing the AHS concentration decreases the lability of metal species by shifting the equilibrium to AHS-metal complexes. Our results indicate that the system under study offers an interesting alternative that can be applied to in situ experiments for differentiation of labile and inert metal species in aquatic systems.

Caracterização estrutural das substâncias húmicas aquáticas extraídas dos rios itapanhaú e ribeira de iguape

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Distribuição de metais e caracterização das constantes de troca entre espécies metálicas e frações húmicas aquáticas de diferentes tamanhos moleculares

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Redução de crômio hexavalente por substâncias húmicas aquáticas imobilizadas em aminopropil sílica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estoques e frações de carbono orgânico em Latossolo Amarelo submetido a diferentes sistemas de manejo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Substâncias húmicas: sistema de fracionamento sequencial por ultrafiltração com base no tamanho molecular

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Substâncias húmicas aquáticas: fracionamento molecular e caracterização de rearranjos internos após complexação com íons metálicos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Caracterização de lodo gerado em estações de tratamento de água: perspectivas de aplicação agrícola

The work reported here involved the characterization of sludges produced at water treatment plants in Jaboticabal-SP using FeCl3 as flocculant, and in Taquaritinga-SP and Manaus-AM using Al2(SO4)3 as flocculant. An evaluation was also made of the interaction of organic matter extracted from the sludges with different metal species. The results indicated that all the sludges produced at water treatment plants have an important agricultural potential and that their use depends on the characteristics of the raw water and the type of flocculant employed in conventional treatment. The humic substances extracted from the sludges showed different affinities for metal species, favoring eventual exchanges between potentially toxic metals and macro- and micronutrients. An alternative for the use of sludge in agriculture is to pretreat it to remove potentially toxic metals and enrich it with micro- and macronutrients that can be released to the plant.