Mucilage extract of Coccinia indica fruit as coagulant-flocculent for turbid water treatment

Lab scale experiments were conducted of mucilage isolated from fruits of Coccinia indica as flocculent for the treatment of turbid water samples containing synthetic turbidity of kaolin. Jar test experiments at optimum pH and time were carried out for 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 (NTU) levels of turbidity, 0.4 mg/l at different pH range, 6.0 to 9.0. At all the experimental turbidity levels, the increased flocculent pH increased the percentage of turbidity removal up to a certain level, beyond which further increase in pH shows a decreasing trend in the removal. The optimum dose of the flocculent in the present study was found to be at pH 7.5. C. indica mucilage has higher efficiency in removing high turbidity in comparison with low turbidity. Highest turbidity removal (94%) was obtained with very high i.e. 100 NTU initial turbidity