Comparative Analysis of Dissolved Air Flotation and Sedimentation Processes for Treating High Turbidity Waters in Colombia 10.32526/ennrj/24/20250217
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Abstract
Dissolved air flotation (DAF) is a prominent technology that permits the treatment of water using higher hydraulic loading rates and lower retention times than sedimentation (SED). This study presents a comparative evaluation of DAF and SED for the treatment of two high-turbidity surface water sources (14-50 NTU) in Colombia. The water samples analysed were collected from the Chiquinquirá River (CR) and the Quebrada Madron Creek (QM), both located in Boyacá, Colombia. The optimal coagulant dosages were identified as 30 mg/L of aluminium sulphate for CR and 60 mg/L for QM using jar testing. Under these conditions, the turbidity removal efficiencies were 86% for DAF and 93% for SED in CR, and 91% for DAF and 93% for SED in QM. The apparent colour removal reached 86% for CR and 83% for QM. The removal of the ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254), used as a surrogate for natural organic matter (NOM), was 67% for SED and 64% for DAF in CR, with both processes achieving 73% removal in QM. Overall, SED consistently outperformed DAF in turbidity removal for both source waters, while the apparent colour and NOM reductions were comparable between the two technologies. The findings from this work provide valuable insights for optimizing the clarification processes in drinking water treatment plants managing high-turbidity surface waters in Colombia.
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