Comparative evaluation of commercial and synthesized aluminum sulfate from recycled waste in wastewater treatmentComparative evaluation of commercial and synthesized aluminum sulfate from recycled waste in wastewater treatment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63688/bdnnzq49Keywords:
Circular economy, Coagulation-Flocculation, Aluminum sulfate, Water treatmentAbstract
Water resource management faces critical challenges due to high-turbidity effluent discharges, where conventional purification relies on coagulants derived from bauxite mining. This research comparatively evaluated the kinetic efficiency and clarifying capacity of aluminum sulfate synthesized through the chemical recycling of used beverage cans (3000 series) against a commercial standard. The methodology involved synthesis via alkaline digestion and acid crystallization, followed by Jar Test assays on lotic water samples with 483 NTU and a pH of 6.42. Results showed that the recycled coagulant (SAR) achieved maximum efficiency at a 2% (w/v) dosage, reducing turbidity to 69 NTU (85.7% removal), outperforming the commercial standard at all concentrations. A significant finding was pH stability; while the commercial product acidified the medium to 5.70, the SAR maintained a pH of 6.32 due to the buffering effect of secondary metals (Mg and Mn) inherent to the alloy. Furthermore, the SAR exhibited accelerated flocculation kinetics and greater tolerance to overdosing. It is concluded that the recovery of 3000 series UBC waste allows for the production of a functional coagulant from aluminum waste, with competitive technical performance and potential for valorization under circular-economy principles.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alan Roberto Zambrano Pazmiño, Álvaro Damián Gómez Castro, Jaime David Sevilla Carrasco (Autor/a)
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