Performance of cactus lefaria to use like coagulating in the water clarification

Abstract

In this investigation, the performance of Cactus lefaria as coagulating agent was evaluated for water clarification process. The experiment were run at lab scale, by preparing synthetic turbid waters with initial turbidity values from 20 to 150 NTU to compare with the waters which enter to the local treatment plant. The coagulation tests were performed to the raw cactus and cactus treated with methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether. The parameters measured were turbidity, color and optima doses of coagulating agent determination. The results showed that the Cactus lefaria removed the turbidity between a 80-90%. The best turbidity values were obtained when Cactus lefaria was treated with methanol and ethyl acetate for a initial water turbidity from 20 to 30 NTU. This show that methanol and ethyl acetate no extracted the active substance from Cactus lefaria. The optima dosis of coagulating was 10 mg/L of cactus. Showing that Cactus lefaria can be used like primary coagulating, being this very efficient to waters with initial turbidity of 30 NTU.

Keywords

• cactus
• coagulating
• optima dosis
• clarification