Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Malaysia.
Abstract
Background: Coagulation and flocculation has been widely adopted as one of the most effective methods to remove colloidal particles in water or wastewater.
Objectives: To explore the potential of dragon fruit peels as coagulants through removal level of turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS) from wastewater.
Methodology: Dragon fruit purple pink fleshed (DFPP) and dragon fruit white fleshed (DFPW) were applied to the leachate at several dosages (10 to 90 mg/l) using standard jar test method and sedimentation times were recorded. Turbidity, TDS and TSS were measured using meter.
Results and Discussion: DFPW removed 67% of turbidity, 69% of TDS and 36% of TSS at optimum dosage of 90 mg/L. DFPP removed 60% of turbidity and 23% of TSS at an optimum dosage of 50 mg/L and 65% TDS at optimum dosage of 90 mg/L. The percentage of removal increased with the sedimentation time but not significant difference between DFPs.
Conclusion: DFPs is potential to be used as eco-friendly wastewater coagulant.
Keywords: Wastewater, turbidity, TDS, TSS, coagulation-flocculation, dragon fruit peel
