Which process involves the agglomeration of particles into larger masses to facilitate their removal?

Which process involves the agglomeration of particles into larger masses to facilitate their removal?

• A. Filtration
• B. Coagulation
• C. Disinfection
• D. Oxidation

Answer: (B)

Coagulation is the process that facilitates the agglomeration of particles into larger masses, known as floc, making their removal easier during water treatment. This technique is essential for removing suspended solids and contaminants from water. In coagulation, chemicals called coagulants are added, which destabilize the particles in suspension—causing them to clump together. This results in larger aggregates that can settle out of the water more efficiently, enabling subsequent processes like sedimentation or filtration to operate more effectively. Understanding the importance of coagulation is crucial in water treatment, as it directly impacts the overall efficiency of the treatment plant. It serves as a foundational step that enhances the clarity and quality of the water, enabling a more effective treatment process in the stages that follow. Other processes, such as filtration, disinfection, and oxidation, play different roles in water treatment; for instance, filtration focuses on the physical removal of particles without necessarily promoting their agglomeration, and disinfection aims to eliminate pathogens without altering the particulate makeup of the water.

Coagulation is the process that facilitates the agglomeration of particles into larger masses, known as floc, making their removal easier during water treatment. This technique is essential for removing suspended solids and contaminants from water. In coagulation, chemicals called coagulants are added, which destabilize the particles in suspension—causing them to clump together. This results in larger aggregates that can settle out of the water more efficiently, enabling subsequent processes like sedimentation or filtration to operate more effectively.

Understanding the importance of coagulation is crucial in water treatment, as it directly impacts the overall efficiency of the treatment plant. It serves as a foundational step that enhances the clarity and quality of the water, enabling a more effective treatment process in the stages that follow. Other processes, such as filtration, disinfection, and oxidation, play different roles in water treatment; for instance, filtration focuses on the physical removal of particles without necessarily promoting their agglomeration, and disinfection aims to eliminate pathogens without altering the particulate makeup of the water.