Title: Preliminary study on heavy metal removal and turbidity reduction from groundwater by using apple pectin (bioflocculant)

Authors: Anis Nabilah Muhamad Tarmizi; Norli Ismail; Harlina Ahmad

Addresses: School of Industrial Technology, Environmental Technology Division, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia ' School of Industrial Technology, Environmental Technology Division, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia ' School of Industrial Technology, Environmental Technology Division, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: Apple pectin, Malus pumila is used as an alternative flocculant in the water treatment of groundwater for removal of heavy metal (As, Cd, Cr, Fe and Pb) and turbidity reduction. There is 97.71% turbidity reduction achieved by using apple pectin with the optimum dosage of magnesium chloride, 15 mg/L at pH 10. From the heavy metal analysis, the results have shown that before treated with pectin, it has been found that all selected elements, As, Cd, Cr, Fe and Pb with concentration of 0.136 mg/L, 0.076 mg/L, 0.089 mg/L, 1.374 mg/L and 0.099 mg/L respectively exceed the standard. After the treatment conducted with apple pectin, only the concentration of Fe (0.107 mg/L) is accepted within the standard limit.

Keywords: bioflocculant; groundwater; heavy metal; pectin; turbidity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2018.097514

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2018 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.271 - 281

Received: 30 Dec 2017
Accepted: 11 Jul 2018
Published online: 25 Jan 2019 *

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