EVALUATION OF THE ANIONIC POLYMER ADDITION IN THE CLARIFICATION OF REAL EFFLUENT FROM THE HYDROPHILIC COTTON BLEACHING

Water, essential for maintaining life, is widely used in industrial processes, generating high volumes of industrial liquid effluents. These, if not treated properly end up contaminating water bodies and causing serious damage to the environment. Among the technologies applied to industrial effluent treatment, physical-chemical treatments are usually accompanied by auxiliary products. In this context, the present work aimed to evaluate the influence of anionic polyacrylamide addition as a coagulation aid of industrial effluent clarification from the bleaching process of cotton hydrophilic. Based on preliminary assays, a Central Rotational Composite Design (DCCR) was developed for the coagulant/flocculant combination, evaluating pH, turbidity, and color. The results obtained showed that anionic polymer improved the treatment performance, forming larger, heavier, and more stable flakes, which resulted in better removal of turbidity (29.7%) and color (33.09%) when compared to the treatment without its addition (22% and 25%) respectively. They also speed up the decanting process, reducing the consumption of primary coagulant and contributing to the effluent parameters being following the discharge standards stipulated by legislation, proving its efficiency as a coagulation aid.