What is Coagulation and How to Control it Using Online UV-VIS Spectrometers

Achieving reliable automatic coagulation control is something many water companies struggle to maintainin highly variable catchment areas that are at one time or another; typically low in particulates with a moderate to high natural organic matter (NOM) content & vice versa.The  water quality canchange very rapidly following rainfall events.This upsets previous steady state conditions,and can often reverse the balance.Such water quality“events” present a challenge to conventional water treatment processes and coagulation control in particular.Recent advances ininstrumentationhave enabledwater suppliers to installUV-VISspectrophotometers for continuous onlinewater qualitymonitoring.These instruments canbe used tomeasure the quantity of NOM and infer changes in the characteristics of NOM during water quality events.This knowledge canbe used to optimise conventional treatment plants for NOM removal in the most cost effective manner,without a deleterious effect on particulate removal by regulating automating coagulation control ina robust and reliable manner.