1.

0 INTRODUCTION
Raw water and wastewater is normally turbid containing solid particles of varying sizes.
Turbidity in water is caused by suspended and colloidal matter such as clay, silt, finely divided
organic and inorganic matter, and plankton and other microspic organisms. Particles with sizes
greater than 50 m settle fairly rapidly. The settling velocities of colloidal particles of sizes less
than 50 m are very slow. Thus, these particles are encouraged to collide leading to coalescence
of particle to form flocs particles, which are bigger and heavier. These particles will have higher
settling velocities and easily settle out.
A very important step in water and wastewater treatment is the coagulation-flocculation process
which is widely used, due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Coagulation and flocculation
consist of adding a floc-forming chemical reagent into water or wastewater to encourage the nonsettleable colloidal solids (or particles) to collide, leading to coalescence of particle to form flocs
particles (which are bigger and heavier).

2.0 OBJECTIVE
The objective of jar test is:
To determine the optimal coagulant dose which will produce the highest removal of a

given water turbidity.

To identify the most common coagulant used in the coagulant process.
To determine the most effective and optimum dosage of coagulant for a particular

mixing intensity and duration.

To understand the complex interrelationships that exists between the chemicals and the
constituents of the water being treated, as well as other factors such as pH, temperature,
intensity and duration of mixing.

3.0 EQUIPMENTS AND MATERIALS

No.

Name

Image
1

Jar test apparatus with six

1

rotating paddles blade

Beakers ( six)

pH meter

Turbidity meter

Pipette

REAGENT
Aluminum sulfate (alum) with a known concentration or anionic/cationic coagulant such as
ferrous sulfate and ferric chloride.

4.0 PROCEDURES
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1. The wastewater sample was prepared. The sample was premixed to obtain consistent
condition in all jars.
2. The temperature, pH and tubidity of the water sample were measured.
3. The prepared wastewater was placed in 6 different beakers (plexiglass graduated beakers)
with one litre each.
4. 1-5 ml of coagulant (alum) was added by using a measuring pipette into beaker 1, 2,3,4,5
5.
6.
7.
8.

while no alum was added in beaker 6 because it acts as a control sample.

The blade was inserted into the beakers and the depth of the blade was calculated.
The wastewater sample was started stirring rapidly (70 rpm) for 3 minutes.
The speed was reduced to 30 rpm for about 20 minutes.
The flocculation process was observed and the floc formation was recorded in the final

10 minutes by referring to the chart of particles size provided.

9. The stirrer was stopped when the stirring period was over and the floc was allowed to
settle for about 5 minutes.
10. 500 ml of settled water for each beaker was separated and was putted into another beaker.
11. The temperature, pH and turbidity for each beaker of the clarified water was determined
and recorded.

Figure 4.1
5.0 RESULTS AND DATA ANALYSIS

JAR TEST (Set the coagulant dose)

Initial turbidity: __9.99_____ NTU

Initial pH: __6.11_____
pH adjustment (base: _ 3_____ mg/L of _NaOH
pH adjustment (acid : ___0___ mg/L of __HCl__
Coagulant concentration: ____8.5 %___ mg/L
Jar No
PH
Coagulant dose
(mg/L)
Agitate (minute)
Fast (rpm)
Slow (rpm)
Settling
depth
(mm)
Turbidity (NTU)
Floc formation
(final 10 minutes)
*

1
11.12

2
10.24

3
10.75

4
10.78

5
10.71

6
11.08

control

23
70
30

23
70
30

23
70
30

23
70
30

23
70
30

23
70
30

70

70

70

70

70

70

6.37

7.59

4.37

3.27

9.13

4.22

Size F

Size E

Size C

Size C

Size B

Size A

* Floc formation can be recorded by referring to the measurement scale as depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Scale for measurement of floc sizes

6.0 DATA ANALYSIS

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1.

Compare the level of turbidity in each sample.

- From the data that have been recorded, it shows that beaker 1 has the value of 6.37 for the
turbidity. Beaker 2 has the second highest value of turbidity that is 7.59. Beaker 3 has the value
of 4.37 for the turbidity. Beaker 4 has the lowest value for the turbidity that is 3.27. Beaker 5 has
the highest value of turbidity among the six beakers that is 9.13. The last beaker that is beaker 6
has the second lowest value of turbidity that is 4.22.
2. With the aid of a graph:
i.
ii.

3.

Show the relationship between pH with respect to coagulant dosage.

Show the relationship between turbidity with respect to coagulant dosage.

From the graph, get the optimum value for coagulant dose of the coagulation process.
- From the graph, the optimum value for coagulant dose is 4 mg/L.

7.0 DISCUSSION
1. By using aluminum sulphate, the mechanism is :
Al3+

3H2O Al(OH)3

3H

Describe the mechanism of reaction if the aluminum sulphate is replaced by ferum chloride
(FeCl3).
-FeCl3 + 3H2O

Fe(OH) 3 + 3HCl

2. Differentiate between coagulation and flocculation process.

Coagulation

Flocculation

Coagulation means to curdle; it basically

Flocculation means to form flocs. It can be

refers to a chemical process in which the

described as a physical or a mechanical

destabilization of non-settleable particles

process in which the coagulated clumps or

takes place. These particles form lumps

flocs are joined together.

with the help of coagulant

3. What is the common coagulant used?

-Aluminum sulfate or alum is commonly used as coagulant reagent.

4. Describe how the coagulant works during coagulation-flocculation process?

-

Coagulant with charges opposite to those of the suspended solids are added to the

water to neutralize the negative charges on dispersed non-settleable solids such as clay
and organic substances during coagulation. During the flocculation, the coagulant mix
and bring the fine particles produced during coagulation into contact with each other.
5. During the experiment, the speeds of the flocculator need to be reduced from 80 rpm to
30 rpm. Why?
-

At high speed, it will produce an amount of floc but if it continues to be at high

speed, the floc formation will disappeared and there will be no left to be observed. So
that, the speed of the flocculator needed to be reduce.
6. The velocity or the speed of flocculator is one of the important factors during
coagulation. List another three important factors influencing coagulation.
-The temperature of water sample
-The pH reading of water sample
-The turbidity of water sample
-The alkalinity of water sample
7. Discuss the caution that you consider and errors occur (if any) during the experiment.
-

From the experiment, there some precaution during the experiment. One of them

is make sure that the small bottle used to determine the turbidity is cleaned and dried
first before use. Second is making sure that the equipment used to determine the pH is
washed with distilled water first before put it into the sample water. Lastly, make sure
that the wastewater is neutral before proceeding with the next procedures.

8.0 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, jar test is an experimental method where optimal conditions are determined
empirically rather than theoretically. Jar test are meant to mimic the conditions and process that
take place in the clarification portion of water and wastewater treatment plants. The values that
are obtained from the experiment are correlated and adjusted in order to account for the actual
treatment system. The two graphs drawn is between pH with respect to coagulant dosage and
between turbidity with respect to coagulant dosage. Based on the graph, the optimum coagulant
dosage obtained is 4 mg/L. This is because the lowest turbidity value is the beaker that was
added with 4 mg/L of coagulant.

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9.0 APPENDIX

FIGURE 2 : WATER SAMPLE TEST

FIGURE 3: NaOH SOLUTION

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10.0

REFERENCES

http://www.sswm.info/content/coagulation-floccuation

http://www.filtronics.comflocculation.html

http://sarat212.wordpress.com/2013001/03/jar-test/

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