What role do coagulants play in water treatment processes?

Coagulants are essential in water treatment processes, primarily for their ability to facilitate the aggregation of suspended particles, leading to the formation of floc. When introduced into water, coagulants neutralize the charges on small particles, which typically remain dispersed due to their electric charge. By neutralizing these charges, coagulants allow the particles to come together and form larger aggregates, or floc, that can then be more easily removed from the water during subsequent treatment stages, such as sedimentation and filtration.

This floc formation is crucial for improving the clarity and quality of the water. It enhances the efficiency of sedimentation processes because larger particles settle more quickly than smaller, dispersed ones. Thus, coagulants play a pivotal role in the overall effectiveness of a water treatment system by ensuring that impurities can be effectively removed, resulting in cleaner and safer water for consumption or other uses.

Other roles mentioned, such as increasing temperature, disinfecting, or altering pH, do not accurately reflect the function of coagulants in the water treatment process, which specifically focuses on the aggregation and removal of particles.