Use of chitosan (Litopenaeus vannamei) and starch (Zea mays) as a coagulant in domestic wastewater
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2528-7737vol19iss51.2026pp65-71pKeywords:
Corn starch, biocoagulants, chitosan, turbidity, water treatmentAbstract
Food service establishments generate large volumes of wastewater contaminated with vegetable oils and fats, harming the environment and public health. The coagulation potential of chitosan obtained from the shrimp exoskeleton of Litopenaeus vannamei and corn starch from Zea mays was evaluated for the treatment of domestic wastewater. Chitosan was obtained through deproteinization, demineralization, and deacetylation of the exoskeleton, achieving a degree of deacetylation greater than 80%. Three treatments with different biocoagulant concentrations were applied at a total dose of 0.5 g, with three replicates each. Treatment 2, consisting of 0.3 g of corn starch and 0.2 g of chitosan, showed the highest statistical efficiency (F=70.11; p-value=0.0001). This treatment achieved a reduction of 92.6% in oils and fats, 44.2% in COD, and 57% in turbidity. The evaluated biocoagulants enabled the effective removal of contaminants through coagulation, flocculation, and filtration processes, demonstrating their potential as cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternatives for the treatment of domestic wastewater with high lipid content
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