Evaluation of the potential application of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) as a bio-coagulant for pre-treatment of oil sands process-affected water

Red Lentil (Lens culinaris) Extract as a Novel Natural Coagulant for Turbidity Reduction: An Evaluation, Characterization and Performance Optimization Study

“…The surface morphologies of the lentils were observed under the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and their respective images were compared as shown in Figure 1. The FESEM images of dried brown, green, and red lentil extracts reveal the irregular shape distribution structure which similar to the structure of the cactus bio-coagulant reported by Choudhary et al [11]. Interestingly, all three lentil extracts exhibited same rough surface with pores and obvious surface abrasions.…”

Characterization of Two Cactus Formulation-Based Flocculants and Investigation on Their Flocculating Ability for Cationic and Anionic Dyes Removal

“…Further, it is believed that this high calcium content may play a prime role in the flocculating behavior of cactus. Indeed, divalent cations mainly Ca 2+ were reported to neutralize the negative charge carried on the surface of pollutant particles, forming, therefore, bridges between particles and cactus polymer chain [ 47 ]. As a result, charge neutralization and bridging mechanisms occurred concurrently, conferring to cactus both a coagulating and a flocculating activity.…”

“…The FTIR spectra presented in Figure 2 provide information about the main functional groups of the two cactus formulations showing similar structures. The recorded bands are mainly: a broad band with a maximum around 3355 cm −1 that can be associated to stretching vibrations of hydroxyl (–OH) groups of carbohydrates and N–H groups of glycoproteins with a high degree of intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonding; a band at 2931 cm −1 attributed to C–H stretching vibration; bands at 1623 and 1425 cm −1 attributed, respectively, to asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations of ionized carboxylic acid groups (COO − ), namely from polygalacturonic acid; a shoulder at around 1730 cm −1 from C=O stretching of non-ionized COOH groups and substituent methyl ester groups in polygalacturonic acid; a band with maximum at 1046 cm −1 mainly due to the C–O stretching of alcohol/ether groups in the carbohydrates [ 47 ]. On the other hand, and as presented in Figure 2 , it is worthy to point out a slight decrease in the DP peaks intensity in the range of 2930 to 655 cm −1 which can be associated to a thermal dehydration effect [ 43 ].…”

“…A full grasp of the mechanisms involved in the flocculating activity of the lyophilized powder (LP) is of great interest for the ongoing scientific communities’ debate. As previously mentioned and reported elsewhere [ 47 ], carbohydrates (neutral sugars and uronic acids) are assumed to be the active flocculating agents in the cactus lyophilized powder. Among the significant amount of uronic acids in the LP formulation, polygalacturonic acid is reported to be the prevailing flocculating compound [ 54 ].…”

Uso de las cáscaras de papa (Solanum tuberosum L) en la clarificación del agua de la Ciénaga de Malambo

“…Otros autores en Pakistán, durante el año 2019, demostraron que al utilizar extracto de piña como coagulante para el tratamiento de un agua sintética, En Canadá durante el año 2019, se realizó una investigación donde se empleó como agente coagulante, el cactus Opuntia ficus-indica, que redujo la turbidez de un agua sintética de 50 a 6 UNT al usar una dosis de 10 mg/L [32]. En un estudio elaborado en el año 2017, el agua de la Ciénaga de Malambo se clarificó con una dosis óptima de 750 mg/L de semillas de Moringa oleífera como coagulante, reduciendo su turbidez de 56,5 a 20,6 UNT [24].…”