Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco
Abstract Treatment plants play a crucial role in producing drinking water, but managing the sludge produced is a major challenge. This study aims to investigate the effect of sludge recirculation on the coagulation-flocculation treatment of water from the Ait Massoud dam. The aim is twofold: to opti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Water |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00252-8 |
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| author | Radouane El Amri Rajaa Zahnoune Otmane Boudouch Reda Elkacmi |
| author_facet | Radouane El Amri Rajaa Zahnoune Otmane Boudouch Reda Elkacmi |
| author_sort | Radouane El Amri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Treatment plants play a crucial role in producing drinking water, but managing the sludge produced is a major challenge. This study aims to investigate the effect of sludge recirculation on the coagulation-flocculation treatment of water from the Ait Massoud dam. The aim is twofold: to optimize reagent doses in order to reduce treatment costs, and to limit environmental impact by reusing the sludge produced. The results showed that sludge can be used effectively as a flocculant, enabling the polyelectrolyte dose to be reduced from 0.3 to 0.1 mg/L while maintaining the same treatment performance. As a coagulant, sludge also enabled better removal of turbidity and oxidizable matter, while reducing the dose of aluminum sulfate to 30 mg/L. A techno-economic analysis revealed that applying this method on the scale of the plant (6 000 m3/h) would result in daily savings of around 3,715 euros, while reducing the disposal of almost 7,200 m3/day of sludge, thus helping to reduce the environmental footprint. Although promising, this approach needs to be validated on a larger scale and over the long term, particularly given the variability of raw water characteristics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-75f0945ebc414d78864d7b54708ea92f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2730-647X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Water |
| spelling | doaj-art-75f0945ebc414d78864d7b54708ea92f2025-08-20T03:46:29ZengSpringerDiscover Water2730-647X2025-07-015111810.1007/s43832-025-00252-8Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam MoroccoRadouane El Amri0Rajaa Zahnoune1Otmane Boudouch2Reda Elkacmi3Environmental and Agro-Industrial Process Team, Department of Chemistry and Environment, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University Sultan Moulay SlimaneLaboratory of Sciences and Technologies Team, Higher Education and Training School, Chouaib Doukkali UniversityLaboratory of Sciences and Technologies Team, Higher Education and Training School, Chouaib Doukkali UniversityEnvironmental and Agro-Industrial Process Team, Department of Chemistry and Environment, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University Sultan Moulay SlimaneAbstract Treatment plants play a crucial role in producing drinking water, but managing the sludge produced is a major challenge. This study aims to investigate the effect of sludge recirculation on the coagulation-flocculation treatment of water from the Ait Massoud dam. The aim is twofold: to optimize reagent doses in order to reduce treatment costs, and to limit environmental impact by reusing the sludge produced. The results showed that sludge can be used effectively as a flocculant, enabling the polyelectrolyte dose to be reduced from 0.3 to 0.1 mg/L while maintaining the same treatment performance. As a coagulant, sludge also enabled better removal of turbidity and oxidizable matter, while reducing the dose of aluminum sulfate to 30 mg/L. A techno-economic analysis revealed that applying this method on the scale of the plant (6 000 m3/h) would result in daily savings of around 3,715 euros, while reducing the disposal of almost 7,200 m3/day of sludge, thus helping to reduce the environmental footprint. Although promising, this approach needs to be validated on a larger scale and over the long term, particularly given the variability of raw water characteristics.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00252-8SludgeCoagulation-flocculationTurbidityOxidizable matterCircular economy |
| spellingShingle | Radouane El Amri Rajaa Zahnoune Otmane Boudouch Reda Elkacmi Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco Discover Water Sludge Coagulation-flocculation Turbidity Oxidizable matter Circular economy |
| title | Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco |
| title_full | Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco |
| title_short | Optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at Ait Massoud dam Morocco |
| title_sort | optimization of sludge recirculation for sustainable water treatment at ait massoud dam morocco |
| topic | Sludge Coagulation-flocculation Turbidity Oxidizable matter Circular economy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00252-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT radouaneelamri optimizationofsludgerecirculationforsustainablewatertreatmentataitmassouddammorocco AT rajaazahnoune optimizationofsludgerecirculationforsustainablewatertreatmentataitmassouddammorocco AT otmaneboudouch optimizationofsludgerecirculationforsustainablewatertreatmentataitmassouddammorocco AT redaelkacmi optimizationofsludgerecirculationforsustainablewatertreatmentataitmassouddammorocco |