The working principles, application methods and effects of polyaluminium chloride and polyacrylamide in wastewater treatment
Summary Overview In simple terms, PAC and PAM are a classic “dynamic duo” in wastewater treatment, typically used together in the coagulation and flocculation process. PAC acts as a Coagulant. Its main role is to neutralize charges and destabilize tiny suspended particles and colloids, causing them to form micro-flocs. PAM acts as a Flocculant. Its main role is adsorption and bridging, which pulls the micro-flocs created by PAC together into large, dense, and fast-settling flocs. Their relationship can be analogized as: PAC is the “glue” that binds sand into small clumps, and PAM is the “net” that gathers the clumps into a large, easy-to-remove boulder. 1. Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC) 1.1. Mechanism of Action PAC is an inorganic polymer coagulant. Its coagulation mechanism is based on three key principles: Charge Neutralization: Upon dissolving in water, PAC hydrolyzes to produce a multitude of positively charged complex ions (e.g., [Al(OH)₂]⁺, [Al₈(OH)₂₀]⁴⁺). Most colloidal particles in wastewater (e.g., clay, organic colloids) carry a negative surface charge. These like charges cause the particles to repel each other and remain stable in suspension. The positive ions from PAC effectively neutralize these negative charges, compressing the electrical double layer and causing destabilization. This allows the particles to collide...
Learn more
November 05,2025