THE EFFECTS OF CHICKEN FEATHER AND PERIWINKLE SHELL-DERIVED BIO-COAGULANT BLEND ON THE ISOTHERMAL STUDY OF PHARMACEUTICAL WASTEWATER COAGULATION TREATMENT PROCESS
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of a blended bio-coagulant derived from chicken
feathers (keratin) and periwinkle shells (chitosan) for the treatment of pharmaceutical
wastewater under isothermal conditions. In this research, keratin and chitosan were
extracted through pre-treatment processes involving deproteinization, demineralization,
deacetylation, and ethanol purification. The extracted keratin and chitosan were
characterized using FTIR, XRD, and EDXRF to determine their functional groups,
crystallinity, and elemental composition, confirming the presence of key adsorption sites
responsible for pollutant binding. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central
Composite Design (CCD) was employed in the optimization of coagulation process
focusing on coagulant dosage and settling time. The quadratic model was significant at (F
value of 293.41) and statistical analysis confirmed the model’s reliability with an (R² of
0.9953). Significant improvements were observed in multiple water quality parameters,
among all tested conditions, the most effective result was achieved at a coagulant dosage
of 6.58g/L and a contact time of 147.08minutes, yielding a maximum TDS reduction of
88.34%. The adsorption process was best described by Temkin model (R2= 0.9857) which
suggests moderate surface heterogeneity and declining binding energy. Overall, this
research highlights the potential of chicken feather and periwinkle shell bio-coagulants
blends as an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative for pharmaceutical wastewater
treatment, offering high efficiency and minimal environmental impact.
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