When soluble mercury compounds get into the water supply, they can pose a serious health risk to humans and wildlife. Aluminum sulfate, also known as alum, is commonly added to the water flowing through treatment plants as a coagulant. Coagulation is a process that involves adding chemicals to the water to make the mercury and other contaminants clump together into larger particles, which can then be more easily removed from the water.
Alum works by creating positively charged aluminum ions, which attract the negatively charged mercury ions in the water. As these ions come together, they form larger particles that can be more easily filtered out of the water. Additionally, alum can also help to remove other contaminants, such as suspended solids, bacteria, and viruses, which can also pose health risks.
Once the mercury and other contaminants have been coagulated and removed from the water, it can then be treated with other chemicals, such as activated carbon or chlorine, to further remove any remaining pollutants and disinfect the water. This ensures that the water is safe for human consumption and does not pose a risk to public health.
In summary, adding aluminum sulfate to water treatment plants helps to remove mercury and other contaminants from the water supply by coagulating the particles and making them easier to filter out. This is an important step in ensuring that the water is safe for human consumption and does not pose a health risk to the public.
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