Activated Locust Bean Pod (Parliament Biglobosa) as a Potential Coagulant for Domestic Sewage Treatment

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on the coagulation potential of activated locust bean pod in comparison to Aluminium sulphate(alum)in the treatment of domestic sewage. The treatments included: control culture (water without alum and activated locust bean pod treatment), 3.5g/l of activated locust bean pod, 4.5 g/l of activated locust bean pod and 4.5g/l of Aluminium sulphate(alum).All the treatments were cultured in 16litres buckets. Physical, chemical and bacteriological properties of the domestic sewage were determined before and after the application of the coagulants on a weekly basis. The result showed that 1.14 NTU of turbidity was removed from an initial value of 6.34 NTU using 4.5g/l of activated locust bean pod. For the samples treated with 4.5 g/l of alum, 0.36 NTU amount of turbidity was removed, while 0.46 NTU was removed from the control experiment. pH values show that the pH of the samples decreased from6.83 to 4.05, 6.83 to 6.00and 6.83 to 6.15foractivated locust bean pod, alum and the control tanks, respectively. The result shows that activated locust bean pod acidified the wastewater. The result showed that 3.5g/l and 4.5g/l of activated locust bean pod and alum removed about 0.98% and 1.90% BOD5, respectively, while the BOD5in the control experiment reduced by 0.26%from the initial value of 6..A significant removal of coliform counts by activated locust bean pod was observed. The study shows that activated locust bean pod can be used in place of alum.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.73.4.19060