What is a flocculant and its classifications?

Flocculant Defined:

A flocculant is a substance that transforms small particles or colloids in water solution into larger precipitates. Applied early in wastewater treatment, it aids in separating these particles from water to purify the water. Flocculants are divided into inorganic and organic categories based on their composition. Further classifications can be made by size of molecules, functional group properties, and charge type.

Flocculant Classification:

Flocculants fall into three main groups: inorganic, organic, and natural high molecular weight flocculants. Common types include:
Inorganic flocculants: Aluminum sulfate (alum), potassium alum, aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate, ferric chloride.
Inorganic high molecular weight flocculants: Polymeric aluminum chloride, polymeric ferric sulfate.
Organic cationic high molecular weight flocculants: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl)-N,N-diacetic acid chloride ammonium salt, epichlorohydrin/N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine condensation product, polyethyleneimine, polyacrylamide-potassium acrylate diamide, acrylamide-methyl methacrylate dimethylaminoethyl ester copolymer, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, acrylamide-dimethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride copolymer.
Organic anionic high molecular weight flocculants: Acrylic acid-acrylamide copolymer, polyacrylamide.
Natural high molecular weight flocculants: Cationic starch, starch-acrylamide graft copolymer, sodium carboxymethylstarch, sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, chitosan, chitosan-acrylamide graft copolymer, sodium alginate, guar gum, xanthan gum.