Abstract

LOPEZ-VIDAL, R.; LAINES-CANEPA, J.R.; HERNANDEZ-BARAJAS, J.R.  and  APARICIO-TRAPALA, M.A.. Evaluation of taro starches (Colocasia esculenta) as flocculant aids in turbidity removal for water treatment process. Rev. Mex. Ing. Quím [online]. 2014, vol.13, n.3, pp.855-863. ISSN 1665-2738.

In this study the use of modified starches from taro (Colocasia esculenta) as aid agents in the coagulation-flocculation process focused on water treatment has been proposed. For this purpose, three types of physicochemically modified starches from native starch were synthesized: Phosphated, crosslinked and pregelatinized. Based on a standardized experimental test, the removal efficiency of turbidity and color in representative samples of Tabasco's surface waters with an initial turbidity of 400 UNT was evaluated. The results referred to the level of turbidity removal showed no significant difference between the use of native starch compared to modified starches. In this regard, the maximum turbidity removal was 95% using 15 mg/L of native starch combined with 35 mg/L of Al₂(SO₄)₃. On the other hand, the maximum color removal of 99.2% was reached by using 25 mg/L of phosphated starch with 25 mg/L of sulfate. Accordingly, this study suggests that the use of environmentally friendly agents based on taro starches would reduce the amount of Al₂(SO₄)₃ typically used in the coagulation-flocculation process in water treatment plants.

Keywords : coagulation-flocculation; water treatment; starch; taro; Colocasia esculenta.

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