El Bouaidi W, Libralato G, Tazart Z, Enaime G, Douma M, Ounas A, Yaacoubi A, Lofrano G, Carotenuto M, Saviano L, Siciliano A, Romano Spica V, Guida M, Loudiki M. Nature-based coagulants for drinking water treatment: An ecotoxicological overview.
Water Environ Res 2022;
94:e10782. [PMID:
36029154 PMCID:
PMC9545364 DOI:
10.1002/wer.10782]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The intensive human activities extensively contaminated water sources making its treatment a problem of paramount importance, especially with the increasing of global population and water scarcity. The application of natural coagulants has become a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional ones. This study was aimed at evaluating the efficiency of four plant extracts namely Agave americana, Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Austrocylindropuntia subulate, and Senicio anteuphorbium as natural coagulants to remove Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacterium from water. The effects of pH (4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9, and 10) and coagulant dose (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg/L) on the coagulation efficiency were investigated. Results showed that plant-based extracts exhibited high coagulant abilities significantly contributing to the removal of M. aeruginosa cells up to 80% on a case-by-case basis. The ecotoxicity (Daphnia magna, Aliivibrio fischeri, Raphidocelis subcapitata, and Sorghum saccharatum) was absent or presented very slight acute toxicity up to 12.5 mg/L being S. anteuphorbium the least toxic. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Nature-based plant extracts showed removal rates up to 80%. Lower pH and A. subulate and S. anteuphorbium were the most efficient coagulants Toxicity effects were plant extracts-based and dose function. A. subulate and S. anteuphorbium were the least toxic extracts.
Collapse