International Journal of Engineering Management 2018; 2(3): 67-75 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijem doi: 10.11648/j.ijem.20180203.13 ISSN: 2640-1525 (Print); ISSN: 2640-1568 (Online) Wastewater Treatment Using Alum, the Combinations of Alum-Ferric Chloride, Alum-Chitosan, Alum-Zeolite and Alum- Moringa Oleifera as Adsorbent and Coagulant Ahmad Hussaini Jagaba 1 , Sule Abubakar 1 , Ibrahim Mohammed Lawal 1 , Ab Aziz Abdul Latiff 2 , Ibrahim Umaru 1 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria 2 Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Batu Pahat, Malaysia Email address: To cite this article: Ahmad Hussaini Jagaba, Sule Abubakar, Ibrahim Mohammed Lawal, Ab Aziz Abdul Latiff, Ibrahim Umaru. Wastewater Treatment Using Alum, the Combinations of Alum-Ferric Chloride, Alum-Chitosan, Alum-Zeolite and Alum- Moringa Oleifera as Adsorbent and Coagulant. International Journal of Engineering Management. Vol. 2, No. 3, 2018, pp. 67-75. doi: 10.11648/j.ijem.20180203.13 Received: October 30, 2018; Accepted: November 19, 2018; Published: December 17, 2018 Abstract: Aluminium sulphate (alum), an inorganic salt, is the most widely used coagulant in wastewater treatment, due to its proven performance, cost-effectiveness and availability. However, the use of aluminium-based coagulant has become under scrutiny. Besides the large amount of sludge produced, high level of aluminium remaining in the treated water has raised concern on public health. Previous research has pointed out that the intake of large amount of aluminium salt may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. To reduce the large intake of aluminium salt in the treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME), this research examined the comparative suitability of alum and combinations of alum as the primary coagulant with other coagulants (ferric chloride, zeolite, chitosan and moringa oleifera) for the treatment of (POME) at optimum conditions of both coagulants. It also ascertain which combined coagulants with alum and an anionic polymer has the potential for higher pollutants removal. Results obtained revealed that, addition of 1 g/L of ferric chloride, 0.4 g/L chitosan and 1 g/L zeolite each to different dose of alum, were able to reduce alum dose from 4 g/L to 2 g/L, 3 g/L and 2 g/L. However, 2 g/L moringa oleifera addition could not reduce alum dose as high removal efficiencies for most parameters were obtained at 4 g/L alum + 2 g/L moringa oleifera. Keywords: Aluminium Sulphate, Coagulation, Flocculation, Heavy Metals, Wastewater 1. Introduction In spite of a relatively positive environmental record, Malaysia faces problems which can be attributed to deforestation, discharge of pollutants into rivers, lands and air, overfishing and coral reef destruction, along with air and water pollution thereby making the environment unhealthy for living organisms. Malaysia has enjoyed one of the least polluted urban environments in Asia. However, with the massive industrial development of recent years, and an increase in urbanisation that attributed to increase in agricultural practices and vehicular use resulting to various types of pollutants such as solid waste, hazardous waste, toxic and liquid waste, water and air pollution are of growing concern [1]. Water pollution still poses a serious threat in certain parts of Malaysia. Studies show that the major contributors to water pollution are agriculture, agro-based industries such as palm oil processing industries, rubber processing industries, food and beverage processing plants, textile and leather tanneries, and electronic hardware factories, many of which discharge effluents directly into rivers. Uncontrolled release of the pollutants into the air during manufacturing processes of palm oil has led to an unstable environmental threat [2]. Some negative effects of these pollutants worldwide are depletion of ozone layer, global warming and significant raise of ocean level. Malaysia, like other developing countries had achieved an