Synonyms
Aggregation; Coagulation
Definition
Flocculation is a process of contact and adhesion whereby dispersed particles are held together by weak physical interactions.
Introduction
Flocculation has been widely used in water and wastewater treatment applications mainly for clarification and reduction of suspended solids, respectively. Recently, it has also been used as a cost-effective method for harvesting microalgae for biomass for production of food, feed, fuel, or chemicals (Vandamme et al., 2013). Aside from these applications, in situ flocculation has also been studied for years to understand sediment transport in different aquatic environments. In this regard, Eisma (1986) defined flocculation as a natural process by which suspended particles are brought together into larger units called flocs.
Flocculation or floc formation depends on the physical collision between suspended matter and their adhesion (Alldredge and Jackson, 1995; Hansen et al., 1995). Droppo (2001)...
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Marquez, D.J.D. (2016). Flocculation. In: Kennish, M.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Estuaries. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_214
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