Bench-Scale Continuous-Flow System for Coagulation/Flocculation/Sedimentation Treatment of Washing Bay Effluents: A Comparison between Natural and Chemical Coagulants †

Abstract

Washing Bay effluent contains several organic and inorganic pollutants that require effective treatment techniques. The new trend of utilizing plant-based coagulants for treating washing bay effluent can help overcome drawbacks associated with chemical coagulants such as large sludge volumes, health risks, and high costs. Hence, this study evaluates the comparative performance of C. arietinum and alum coagulants in continuous feed bench-scale experiments for treating washing bay effluents. The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was performed using the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method to determine a sustainable coagulant material based on the established criteria. The results showed that the C. arietinum bio-coagulant produced a higher utility value than alum; hence it could be a preferable alternative in the C/F/S treatment of washing bay effluent based on the selected criteria and weights.