Department of Civil Engineering-I.I.T.

Delhi
CEL 212: Environmental Engineering
Second Semester 2012-13
Solution Sedimentation

Q1. As per following information, identify electrolytes useful for coagulating (i) negatively charged
particles and (ii) charge neutral particles?

Answer:
For negatively charged particles, ferrous sulfate is the best coagulant as its relative power of coagulation
in highest among all coagulants given.
For neutral particles, this table can not provide information. one needs to see which of these coagulants
can produce high quantity of flocs per unit mass of coagulant which can remove the given concentration
of colloid particles.

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Q2. Alum reacts with alkalinity as per following equation. For removing 90% of 300 mg/L
suspended solids, say 50 mg/L alum (for pH 8 solution) is required. If solution also has bicarbonate
alkalinity ( 250 mg/L as CaCO3), how much alum would be required for getting 90% removal of
suspended solids? How much solid waste (in terms of aluminum hydroxide precipitate and settled
suspended solids) would be produced?
Answer:

total solids produced =12+333.33=345.33 mg/L

Solution alkalinity = 250 mg/L as CaCO3

= (250*0.001/50)=0.005 equivalents of calcium bicarbonate
=>0.005= (mass of calcium bicarbonate)/(162/2)
=> mass of calcium bicarbonate (g/L) =0.005*162/2
=> moles of calcium bicarbonate =(0.005*162/2 )/(162)=0.0025

As per equation, 1 mole of alum consumes 3 moles of calcium bicarbonate.

So additional alum required for 250 mg/L as CaCO3 =(0.0025/3) moles
= (0.0025/3)*(666g/L)=555 mg/L

So for removing 90% of 300 mg/L suspended solids from water which has 250 mg/L as CaCO3
Bicarbonate alkalinity, total alum required = 50 mg/L+ 555 mg/L=605 mg/L

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Q3. Comment on removal of C60 (fullerene) using alum. How does pH and alum dose influence C60
removal from water? Also comment on effect of alkalinity on alum dose required for getting 80%
removal in C60 (see paper on web).
Answer:
high alum dose gives high removal of C60 in pH range 6.5 to 8.5. the extent of removal also depends on
alkalinity present. figure B gives lesser removal than that from figure A when alkalinity is changed from
100 mg/L as CaCO3 (figure A) to 50 mg/L as CaCO3 (figure B).
pH is playing effect on removal of C60 from water and removal is highest for the range of pH 6.5 to 8.5
only.

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Q4. As per data in Q3, determine alum dose giving maximum removal at pH 3, 7, 10 (this would be
optimum dose at different solution pH)?
Asnwer:

Simlarly one can find other alum dosages which can give maximum removal at different pH values.

Q5. As per data in Q3, determine removal in C60 at pH 3, 7, and 10 for 50 mg/L alum dose?
Asnwer:

Q6. Comment on types of alum species as a function of pH and alum dose (see paper on web).

Answer:
For pH<6 we have Al3+ and Al(OH)2+ and pH>6, we have higher concentrations of AL(OH)4-.
See slope of line of Al3+ with pH to understand effect of higher pH on its concentration.
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