Biocoagulants as Ecofriendly Alternatives in the Dairy Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

Coagulation is a simple and widely used method for water and wastewater treatment. Chemical coagulants, on the other hand, not only produce vast volumes of toxic sludge, but they also have negative impacts on living organisms. This study demonstrates the use of neem tree leaf and banana leaf powders as natural coagulants for the treatment of dairy effluent. The jar test was used to determine the pH, turbidity, and metal ion content of the treated samples. The biocoagulants were experimented at a rate of 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L, and 300 mg/L at pH of 5, 6, and 7. The levels of turbidity, sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), lithium (Li), and copper (Cu) were measured after the treatment process. Turbidity was reduced by 52%, and coagulants at 200 mg/L and 300 mg/L were more successful at removing metal ions from dairy effluent except in copper, where 100 mg/L was shown to be more effective. In the scattering between adjacent, similarly charged particles, the zeta potential reveals the strength of repulsive powers. There are more dispersion and suspension rates in the treatment of dairy wastewater using banana and neem leaf biocoagulants. Neem tree leaf and banana leaf powders were efficient and cost-effective eco-friendly biocoagulants for the treatment of dairy effluent.