Preparation of Poly-aluminum Chloride from Aluminum Scraps and its Application in Water Treatment

Abstract

In this study aluminum chloride was prepared by using aluminum foil and aluminum scraps (beverage cans). pure Hydrochloric acid (35ـ38 %) and commercial Hydrochloric acid (32%) ware added to aluminum foil and aluminum scraps (beverage cans ) to prepare aluminum chloride. The prepared aluminum chloride was used to produce polyaluminum chlorides (PAC). The PAC was prepared in laboratory by reacting sodium hydroxide solution with aluminum chloride solution at temperature 70 oC. The prepared PAC which contain Al13 ([AlO4Al12(OH)24(H2O)12]7+), was used to coagulate the suspension particles to remove turbidity from raw water. The pH of PACs prepared from aluminum foil and pure Hydrochloric acid (35ـ38 %), aluminum scraps (beverage cans), pure Hydrochloric acid (35ـ38 %), aluminum scraps(beverage cans) and commercial Hydrochloric acid, were found to be 3.83, 5.21 and 5.85 respectively. The PACs coagulants were found to be very efficient for removing water turbidity at pH range (3.33-9.10), (6.4-9.4), (4.2-9.60) respectively. For all types of PAC coagulant, the optimal dose was found to be 2ml/L which gave -~99.8% removal of turbidity.