Flocculants

A flocculant (coagulant) serves to agglomerate ( flocculate ) the smallest, colloidal particles in liquids.

Flocculants are used, among other things, in sewage treatment plants for wastewater treatment, in drinking water treatment for decolorization (removal of humic substances ), in swimming pools , paper mills and in industrial processes. Trivalent metal salts such as iron (III) salts and aluminum salts , but also other hydroxide formers such as milk of lime , soda or sodium aluminate are mostly used as flocculants . There are also organic flocculants (e.g. polyamines ). Flocculants form larger microflakes from the colloids, which can be easily removed by filtration . If solids removal by sedimentation or flotation is desired, a flocculant is used in addition to the flocculant , which forms larger macroflocs from the microflakes.

Individual evidence