Abstract
The ability of locally laboratory-synthesized polyaluminium chloride (PAC) with high Al13 content (PAC-Al13) to remove organic, inorganic matter and colour from potable water, agricultural and electroplating wastewaters was evaluated relative to commercial PAC (PACI). PAC-Al13 used in this study was prepared using batch titration of NaOH into AlCl3·6H2O solution under vigorous stirring as opposed to the conventional slow-base titration method. The highly pure PAC-Al13 (containing 79% polymeric Al13 species) with high basicity (87%) was isolated and extracted using the sulphate displacement method and metathesis reaction. PAC-Al13 showed higher COD (85–96%), metals (95–100%), TDS (86–90%) and colour (90–95%) removal compared with PACI, i.e. COD (57–74%), metals (71–99%), TDS (58–80%) and colour (85–92%). The dominance of polymeric Al13 species in PAC-Al13 was supported from the scanning electron microscopy images (presence of Keggin structure of Al13) and the 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance analysis that showed the appearance of a single peak at 62.1 ppm. This study demonstrated the potential of using a new type of PAC, produced using simple preparation technique and contain high polymeric Al13 species, that has the ability to remove contaminants from water and wastewater systems more efficiently.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Mr. Shaik Muhammad Hasbullah Shaik Ismail for the excellent contribution in data collection of this study.
Funding
The authors received from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, the research university grant 07G78.
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Zakaria, Z.A., Ahmad, W.A. Organic and Inorganic Matter Removal Using High Polymeric Al13 Containing Polyaluminium Chloride. Water Air Soil Pollut 231, 310 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04706-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04706-8