Role of Polyelectrolytes in the Treatment of Water and Wastewater

The environment is considered as a composite term for the condition in which organisms live. Pollution of the environment is one of the most fatal ecological crisis to which we are subjected today. Earlier these amenities were pure, undisturbed and uncontaminated for living organisms. But situation is reverse today. The impurities present in water are threat to life. The impurities present in water and wastewater is decisive factor for selection of treatment scheme. Impurities are present in water in dissolved and suspended form. The suspended impurities present in water are non- biodegradable in nature. So it is necessary to remove suspension in water and wastewater. The coagulation-flocculation method is sustainable solution for different kind of surface water, ground water, synthetic water and industrial effluents. In conventional method, inorganic coagulants are used for coagulation-flocculation. But major drawbacks are high dosage of inorganic coagulants, poor results and large quantities of sludge generation. So, organic polyelectrolytes were introduced in conjunction with inorganic coagulants for the treatment of water and wastewater.