Abstract
The purpose of this research was to describe the mechanisms and prevention of initial degradation in turbidity of the sand filter effluent. The method used was by adding a coagulant (PAC) to the sand filter after backwashing as a means of reducing turbidity. It was found that adding 80 mg/L of PAC solution to the sand filter was very effective in improving the initial effluent turbidity. A turbidity removal efficiency of 99 % was observed in the initial term period as compared to a 70% efficiency without PAC addition. The PAC solution added to the sand filter resulted in high aluminum concentration at the upper layer as compared with the bottom layer of the sand filter column. A change in the zeta potential to a strong positive-ions at upper layer was observed at this time but only a small change was obtained at the bottom. This result showed that the zeta potential of the sand was changed to positive with PAC coating. The effect of pH on zeta potential with PAC addition was also investigated. Zeta potential was greatly changed to positive-ion at pH 4~6. A series of experiments was then conducted in this study to optimize the pH of the PAC solution to be added to the sand filter after backwashing. The removal efficiency of turbidity was found to be highest at pH 5. This result suggested that hydrolyzed aluminium species attached to the surface of the sand enhanced the removal of turbidity of the effluent.
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