Browsing by Author "Hayu Baliste"

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    Comparison Of Laboratory Synthesized Iron (II) Sulphate with Industrial Coagulants for Removing Colloidal Substances in Drinking Water
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-01) Hayu Baliste; Anteneh Wodaje (PhD)
    Pollution from both natural and anthropogenic sources is increasingly degrading surface water quality, posing significant risks to human health and ecosystems. To address this, cost-effective and efficient water treatment methods are urgently needed. Coagulation is one of the most effective and simple techniques for removing colloidal and suspended solid pollutants from water. This thesis work evaluates and compares the removal efficiency of laboratory synthesized iron sulphate with industrial coagulants, alum and ferric chloride, in treating surface water. A batch jar test experiment was conducted to assess the impact of coagulant dose, pH, and settling time on turbidity removal. Varying doses (3, 6, 9 g/L) and pH levels (3, 7, 11) were tested, with rapid and slow mixing followed by settling periods of 35, 45, and 55 minutes. The results showed that ferrous sulphate achieved a maximum turbidity removal efficiency of 98.8% at 6 g/L, pH 3, and settling time 55 min, with optimal conditions at dose 5.834 g/L, pH 3.617, and 48 minutes of settling time, resulting in 99.03% removal. Ferrous sulphate performed similarly to ferric chloride (99.24%) and alum (99.61%) but offered additional benefits such as lower cost, reduced toxicity, and minimal impact on pH and water coloration. This study demonstrates that ferrous sulphate is a promising, low-cost alternative for water treatment, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia, where it can be locally sourced and produced efficiently. The optimization of coagulant dosage and pH is crucial for maximizing treatment performance, positioning ferrous sulphate as a sustainable solution for water purification in resource-limited settings. The study underlines the potential of ferrous sulphate as a feasible alternative for drinking water treatment, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia, where it can be produced locally and at a lower cost. Moreover, it identifies optimization of the dosage of coagulant and pH as necessary for the best treatment performance of ferrous sulphate, thus proving to be one of the promising solutions for low-cost and sustainable water purification in settings with limited resources.