Preparation of Composite Flocculants Using Poly Aluminum Chloride, Polyacrylamide, and Copper Oxide Loaded on Oyster Shells for Wastewater Treatment

As living standards continue to rise, people have increasingly higher demands for water quantity and quality. As vital water sources, the methods and efficiency of pollutant removal from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are of paramount importance. This study prepared a multifunctional wastewater treatment material by loading polyaluminum chloride (PAC), polyacrylamide (PAM), and copper oxide (CuO) onto oyster shell (Os) powder. This material integrates adsorption, coagulation, and antibacterial functions. Its coagulation and antibacterial performance were investigated, and the fractal dimension and particle size distribution of the flocs formed after coagulation were studied. Results indicate that both turbidity removal efficiency and total phosphorus removal efficiency exhibit an initial increase followed by a decrease with rising dosage of PPCO composite material and experimental temperature. After coagulation treatment of raw water samples with 40 mg/L 12-PPCO composite material, turbidity and total phosphorus removal rates reached 86.21% and 60.51%, respectively, while inhibition rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 98.93% and 98.12%. This study achieved resource utilization of oyster shells while significantly enhancing wastewater treatment efficiency, offering a novel approach for improving water quality in rivers and lakes.