General Knowledge - Basic General Knowledge - Discussion

To coagulate, means to form semi-solid lumps.

What is coagulation?

Coagulation is the process in which impurity is removed by adding certain chemical.

What is alum ?

Alum is hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate (potassium alum) with the formula KAl(SO4)2.12H2O. More widely, alums are double sulphate salts, with the formula AM(SO4)2.12H2O, Industrial uses.

Potassium alum is the common alum of commerce, although soda alum, ferric alum, and ammonium alum are manufactured.

Alum has been used at least since Roman times for purification of drinking water and industrial process water. Between 30 and 40 ppm of alum for household wastewater, often more for industrial wastewater, is added to the water so that the negatively charged colloidal particles clump together into "flocs", which then float to the top of the liquid, settle to the bottom of the liquid, or can be more easily filtered from the liquid, prior to further filtration and disinfection of the water.

Alum is known as 'PHITKARI' in hindi. It loads the suspended mud particles present in the colloidal solution of water and mud and settles them down at the bottom. The process is commonly known as 'loading'.

What is mud?

Mud is a kind of soil. Minute particles of soil also present in water when the pumping filter not working well.

The full form of alum is K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O.

Alum is amazing for water treatment to purify the muddy water, powder alum and add about 1 gram of alum powder for every liter of muddy water.

You will find the muddy particles settling down, leaving you with clear water. If next time you go on a camping trip, takes a small block of alum with you.