Natural flotation and coagulation–flocculation: a dual approach to refinery wastewater treatment

The impact of oily wastewater from industrial activities poses significant challenges to the environment and the wastewater treatment sectors, potentially harming aquatic ecosystems and water quality. An action plan has been proposed in Mohammedia that leverages natural flotation in conjunction with coagulation–flocculation techniques to address this issue, utilizing different coagulants and flocculants to minimize environmental impact. Several parameters, such as turbidity, color, and absorbance at 254 nm, were monitored to determine the most suitable and cost-effective conditions to reduce pollution. The combination of Amerfloc coagulant and Drewfloc 2448 flocculant proved to be the best for more effective treatment. This combination delivers excellent performance even at relatively low concentrations, bringing significant economic benefits to industries seeking to establish cost-effective and efficient treatment systems. The quantitative results further underline the effectiveness of this combination. The treatment achieved impressive removal rates, with turbidity reduced by 98.2%, color by 94.4%, and absorbance at 254 nm by 69%. These results highlight the proposed method’s ability to treat oily wastewater and underscore its potential economic benefits.In addition, it should be noted that natural flotation has also given satisfactory results in treating wastewater from vegetable oil refineries. The combined treatment of natural flotation and coagulation–flocculation suggests that the proposed approach could apply to a broader range of industrial wastewater treatment scenarios, enhancing its relevance and potential impact.