(727f) Application of Innovative Low-Cost Bio-Flocculants for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment

The aim of this study is to develop an innovative bio-flocculation technique for enhanced dewaterability of municipal wastewater. Bioflocculants are low cost and effective flocculation agents known to improve sludge floc network strength and flocculation process and overall dewatering performance. As sludge handling and treatment cost, particularly sludge dewatering cost is very high accounting for 60% of the plants operational cost, improving conditioning agent consumption or shifting to low cost and more efficient bioflocculent will have significant impact on wastewater treatment plant economy. In this particular research plant-based materials the flocculation capacity of chemically and thermally modified Moringa Olifera, crushed date seeds were investigated. This study involved physio-chemical characterization of wastewater and digested sludge, investigation of various bioflocculents (chemically and thermally modified Moringa and date seed and selection of the best bio-flocculent and optimum treatment conditions. The various bio flocculation agents were compared and the effects on dewatering performance was investigated. The research also accounted for the investigation of parameters affecting the performance of the bio-flocculent based conditioning operation including pre-treatment time, bioflocculent dose, dewaterability, turbidity and others. It was observed that thermally activated date seed was observed to give the best dewatering and turbidity removal compared to the other samples. Sodium hydroxide modified date seed worked better than the acid modified ones. The performance of metal based flocculants was also studied and the results were compared to the innovative flocculants investigated in this study.