Os reatores anaeróbios de tratamento de esgoto possibilitam elevada remoção de matéria orgânica, com menor custo em comparação com os processos aeróbios. Entretanto, esses reatores geralmente são pouco eficientes na remoção de nutrientes e seu efluente pode apresentar valores relativamente elevados de DQO e de sólidos suspensos. Por isso, investigou-se a aplicação de cloreto férrico e auxiliares de floculação no afluente de um reator anaeróbio de leito expandido em escala real (Volume = 32 m3; TDH = 3,2 h), no intuito de elevar as eficiências de remoção de DQO, turbidez, fósforo e sólidos. Foram realizados testes de Atividade Metanogênica para avaliar a toxicidade do cloreto férrico ao lodo do reator, mas nenhum efeito tóxico foi detectado para concentrações de até 500 mg FeCl3/l. Em seguida, foram realizados testes em reator de bancada (jar test), quando foi investigado o uso de cloreto férrico (dosagens entre 40 e 200 mg/l) em conjunto com um polímero catiônico, um polímero aniônico e amido natural de batata (dosagens entre 0,5 e 2,0 mg/l), sendo obtidos os melhores resultados com cloreto férrico e polímero aniônico. As eficiências médias diárias de remoção no reator de leito expandido foram elevadas de 64% para 71%, para DQO; de 47% para 59%, para turbidez; de 17% para 31%, para fósforo; e de 52% para 77%, para SST, quando aplicadas dosagens de 40 mg/l de cloreto férrico e 1,0 mg/l de polímero aniônico. / Anaerobic reactors for wastewater treatment have high capacity in removing organic matter and lower costs in comparison with aerobic processes. Nevertheless, anaerobic reactors generally are less efficient in nutrient removal and their effluents may present relatively high COD and total suspended solid (TSS) concentrations. Hence, the application of ferric chloride (FeCl3) and flocculant aids to a full-scale (Volume = 32 m3; HRT = 3,2 h) anaerobic expanded bed reactor influent was investigated to improve removal of COD, turbidity, phosphorous and solids. Methanogenic activity tests were conducted to evaluate toxicity of ferric chloride against methanogenic anaerobic reactor sludge. Tests showed that no toxic effect occurred before concentrations of FeCl3 reached 500 mg/l. Conventional bench-scale jar tests were conducted and ferric chloride was tested in combination with a cationic polymer, an anionic polymer and natural potato starch. Best results were obtained when ferric chloride was employed with anionic polymer. Average daily removal rates were increased from 64% to 71% for COD, from 47% to 59% for turbidity, from 17% to 31% for phosphorous and from 52% to 77% for TSS when dosages close to 40 mg/l of ferric chloride and 1,0 mg/l of anionic polymer were applied to anaerobic expanded bed reactor influent.

Uma das abordagens para minimizar o volume de captação de água potável e o descarte de efluentes é o reuso da água dentro da unidade industrial através de técnicas avançadas de tratamento como o sistema de osmose reversa, porém esse sistema exige um afluente com uma baixa quantidade de sólidos, além de outros requisitos. A água residuária utilizada nesse estudo é proveniente de uma empresa do ramo metal-mecânico que utiliza processos de coagulação-floculação-sedimentação como forma de remover os sólidos antes de um sistema de osmose reversa. A proposta deste trabalho foi avaliar três diferentes coagulantes (aluminato de sódio, cloreto férrico e uma mistura de dois coagulantes comerciais, Procytrat 100A e Procytrat 300) em processos de coagulação-floculação e separação de sólidos da fase líquida por sedimentação e flotação por ar dissolvido e também comparar os custos aproximados dos processos envolvidos. Foram realizados ensaios em testes de jarros e flotateste e com os dados obtidos construíram-se diagramas de coagulação-floculação e escolhidas as regiões de maior remoção de sólidos. Através das regiões escolhidas, foram feitas as comparações de eficiência de remoção e custos para cada coagulante estudado. Verificou-se que os diagramas de coagulação-floculação-sedimentação foram os que apresentaram as regiões de maior área com turbidez remanescente menor que 2%, principalmente para os coagulantes cloreto férrico e a mistura Procytrat 100A + Procytrat 300, chegando a alcançar valores próximos a 0,5%. A opção mais econômica foi alcançada com custo de cloreto férrico, na dosagem de 200 mg/L, pH igual a 8,3 e turbidez remanescente igual a 0,6%, de R$0,47/\'M POT.3\' de água tratada. Os diagramas de coagulação-floculação-flotação apresentaram regiões de turbidez remanescente com áreas bem mais reduzidas se comparadas aos diagramas de coagulação-floculação-sedimentação, sendo que não foram atingidos valores de turbidez remanescente menores que 1,5%. Os menores valores de turbidez remanescente para o processo de flotação foram encontrados utilizando-se como coagulante a mistura Procytrat 100A + Procytrat 300, sendo a opção mais econômica alcançada para pH igual a 3,3, dosagem de 60 mg/L e turbidez remanescente igual a 1,6%, com custo de R$0,33/\'M POT.3\' de água tratada. De um modo geral, para todos os coagulantes testados, as regiões escolhidas nos diagramas de coagulação-floculação-flotação, cujos valores de turbidez remanescente foram menores, estavam concentradas em valores de pH baixos (3,2 a 5,5), dosagens de coagulante reduzidas (10 a 80 mg/L) e dosagens de alcalinizante também reduzidas (0 a 60 mg/L de Ca(\'OH)IND.2\'). Esse comportamento foi contrário ao apresentado pelos diagramas coagulação-floculação-sedimentação cujos valores de turbidez remanescente foram menores em valores de pH mais altos (6,5 a 8,5), maiores dosagens de coagulante (40 a 380 mg/L) e altas dosagens de alcalinizante (100 a 400 mg/L de Ca(\'OH)IND.2\'). / One approach to minimize the consumption of drinking water and effluent disposal is the reuse of water within the plant through advanced treatment techniques such as reverse osmosis system, however, this system requires an affluent with a low amount of solids and other requirements. The wastewater used in this study comes from a metalworking company that uses coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation process as a way to remove the solids before a reverse osmosis system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate three different coagulants (sodium aluminate, ferric chloride and a mixture of two commercial coagulants, Procytrat 100A and Procytrat 300) in the process of coagulation-flocculation and separation of solids from the liquid phase by sedimentation and dissolved air flotation and also compare the approximate costs of the processes involved. Jar tests and flotatests were performed and the coagulation-flocculation diagrams were built. In the coagulation-flocculation diagrams were selected areas of higher solids removal. Through the chosen regions, comparisons were made of removal efficiency and cost study for each coagulant. It was found that the diagrams of coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation presented the areas of higher turbidity remaining area with less than 2%, mainly for the coagulants ferric chloride and the mixture Procytrat 100A + Procytrat 300, reaching values close to 0.5 %. The most economical option was achieved at a cost of ferric chloride at a dosage of 200 mg/L, pH 8.3, and the remaining turbidity equal to 0.6%, from R$ 0.47/\'M POT.3\' treated water. The diagrams of coagulation-flocculation-flotation showed regions with turbidity remaining areas much reduced compared to the diagrams of coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation, and the turbidity remaining values were more than 1.5%. The lower values of turbidity remaining for the flotation process were found using the mixture Procytrat 100A + Procytrat 300, and the most economical option was reached for a pH of 3.3, dosage of 60 mg/L and remaining turbidity equal to e 1.6%, at a cost of R$ 0.33/\'M POT.3\' of treated water. In general, for all coagulants tested, the selected regions in the diagrams of coagulation-flocculation-flotation, whose remaining turbidity values were lower, were concentrated in low pH values (3.2 to 5.5), dosages of coagulant reduced (10 to 80 mg/L) and dosages of alkaline also reduced (0 to 60 mg/L of Ca(\'OH)IND.2\'). This behavior was contrary to the diagrams presented by coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation whose remaining turbidity values were lower in higher pH values (6.5 to 8.5), larger amounts of coagulant (40 to 380 mg/L) and high doses of alkaline (100 to 400 mg/L Ca(\'OH)IND.2\').

Orientador: Claudio Chrysostomo Werneck / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T08:25:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pereira_DanielleSousa_M.pdf: 8911447 bytes, checksum: c9bf5559a19db5c16b953e4b7a760966 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: MAGP1 (Microfibril-Associated GlycoProtein1) é um os constituintes das microfibrilas. Numerosos estudos têm demonstrado que MAGP1 interage com outras moléculas in vitro e sua expressão é de grande importância para o desenvolvimento vascular em zebrafish. Dados obtidos em nosso laboratório a partir do modelo fotoquímico de indução de trombo em animais deficientes em MAGP1 sugerem a importância deste componente da microfibrila no processo trombótico. Entre as técnicas para indução da formação de trombo, têm-se o cloreto férrico. Tal mecanismo, quando aplicado em pequenos animais, gera uma lesão endotelial de alta intensidade em apenas dois minutos. Além disso, com o auxílio da microscopia intravital, o cloreto férrico permite a captura de imagens do vaso sanguíneo em tempo real. A microscopia intravital possibilita a análise do processo de formação do trombo e as possíveis diferenças deste processo nos camundongos deficientes em MAGP1. Sendo assim, o presente trabalho objetivou estabelecer a técnica de trombose arterial induzida por cloreto férrico e assistida por microscopia intravital, a fim de verificar a função de MAGP1 no processo de formação do trombo. Para isto, as células brancas e as plaquetas de animais selvagens e deficientes em MAGP1 foram coradas com Rhodamina 6G e analisadas por microscopia intravital / Abstract: MAGP1 (Microfibril - Associated GlycoProtein1) is a constituent of the microfibrils. Numerous studies have shown that MAGP1 interact with other molecules in vitro and its expression is of importance for vascular development in zebrafish. Data obtained in our laboratory from the photochemical model of thrombus induction in animals deficient in MAGP1 suggest the importance of this component of the microfibril in the thrombotic process. Among the techniques for inducing thrombus formation, it has been ferric chloride. This mechanism when applied in small animals generates a high intensity endothelial injury in just two minutes. Furthermore, with the aid of intravital microscopy, ferric chloride enables the capture of blood vessel images in real time. The intravital microscopy allows the analysis of the process of thrombus formation and possible differences of this process in mice deficient in MAGP1. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the technique of arterial thrombosis induced by ferric chloride and assisted intravital microscopy, in order to verify the function of MAGP1 in the process of thrombus formation. For this, white cells and platelets MAGP1 deficient and wild animals were stained with Rhodamine 6G e analyzed by intravital microscopy / Mestrado / Bioquimica / Mestra em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

No description available.

Os reatores anaeróbios de concepção mais moderna (e.g., UASB e RALEx) possibilitam a remoção de 65 a 75% de matéria orgânica do esgoto sanitário, com custos de implantação e operação relativamente baixos, em comparação com os processos aeróbios convencionais. Entretanto, esses reatores geralmente são pouco eficientes na remoção de nutrientes e seus efluentes podem apresentar concentrações relativamente elevadas de material orgânico e de sólidos suspensos. Para melhorar a qualidade dos efluentes desses reatores, algumas configurações de pós-tratamento têm sido empregadas no Brasil, dentre as quais os sistemas de lodo ativado e a coagulação/precipitação com sais metálicos, geralmente seguida de flotação por ar dissolvido. Nesta pesquisa, foi avaliada a aplicabilidade da coagulação/precipitação com cloreto férrico, a partir de testes em unidades de coagulação em escala de bancada (jar test e flotateste), para três sistemas de pós-tratamento de efluentes de reatores anaeróbios, a saber: coagulação/precipitação do efluente de um reator anaeróbio (RALEx); co-precipitação em um sistema de lodo ativado; e pós-precipitação do efluente do sistema de lodo ativado. Cada um desses sistemas foi testado com separação de sólidos por sedimentação ou por flotação por ar dissolvido, constituindo seis distintas configurações de pós-tratamento. O pós-tratamento do efluente do reator anaeróbio por coagulação/precipitação se mostrou uma alternativa viável técnica e economicamente, tanto para a sedimentação quanto para a flotação por ar dissolvido. Os diagramas de coagulação obtidos tanto nos ensaios de sedimentação quanto nos de flotação demonstraram que a coagulação/precipitação do efluente do RALEx ocorria de modo mais eficiente para valores de pH entre 5 e 7. A coagulação/precipitação do licor misto com cloreto férrico também se mostrou uma opção atrativa, propiciando a obtenção de efluente bastante clarificado, com possibilidades de reúso. Nessa opção, obtiveram-se eficiências adicionais (i.e., em relação ao sobrenadante do licor misto) de remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo de, respectivamente, 80%, 72% e 85%, com dosagem de 80 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L (48 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'/L). Para a coagulação com cloreto férrico, a flotação não apresentou bons resultados na remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo para separação de sólidos do licor misto. O mesmo ocorreu para o efluente final da ETE quando a etapa de separação de sólidos foi a sedimentação. Quando a separação de sólidos foi feita por flotação, obtiveram-se eficiências de remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo de, respectivamente, 68%, 53% e 83%, com dosagem de 80 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L / The anaerobic reactors of modern conception (e.g., UASB and RALEx) remove from 65 to 75% of sanitary wastewater organic matter with relatively low construction, operation, and maintenance costs, in comparison with conventional aerobic processes. Nevertheless, that reactors are usually little efficient in nutrient removal and their effluents may present relatively high organic matter and suspended solid concentrations. In order to improve the quality of effluents from anaerobic reactors, some post-treatment concepts have been employed in Brazil, among which activated sludge systems and coagulation/precipitation with metallic salts, generally followed by dissolved air flotation. In this research, coagulation/precipitation with ferric chloride was assessed using sedimentation and flotation lab-scale test units (jar test and flotateste, respectively) to three post-treatment systems, namely: coagulation/precipitation of effluent from anaerobic reactor; co-precipitation (in the mixed liquor from activated sludge system); and post-precipitation of effluent from activated sludge system. Each system was assessed with solids separation with sedimentation and dissolved air flotation, constituting six different post-treatment scenarios. Coagulation/precipitation of the effluent from the anaerobic reactor showed to be technical and economically attractive, not only for sedimentation but also for dissolved air flotation. Coagulation diagrams obtained in sedimentation and flotation essays showed that coagulation/precipitation of the effluent from RALEX was more efficient when pH values were between 5 and 7. The mixed liquor coagulation/flocculation with ferric chloride were also an attractive option, resulting in a low turbidity effluent suitable for reuse. In this option, additional removals (i.e., in relation to decanted mixed liquor) of turbidity, COD e phosphorus were obtained: 80%, 72% and 85%, respectively, with the dosage of 80 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L (48 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'/L). Flotation did not presented good results in the removal of turbidity, COD and phosphorus in mixed liquor coagulation/precipitation with ferric chloride. The same was to the effluent from the WWTP when sedimentation was employed in the solids separation step. When solids separation was made using flotation, the removal efficiencies of turbidity, COD and phosphorus were, respectively, 68%, 53%, and 83% for the dosage of 80 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L

Os reatores anaeróbios de concepção mais moderna (e.g., UASB e RALEx) possibilitam a remoção de 65 a 75% de matéria orgânica do esgoto sanitário, com custos de implantação e operação relativamente baixos, em comparação com os processos aeróbios convencionais. Entretanto, esses reatores geralmente são pouco eficientes na remoção de nutrientes e seus efluentes podem apresentar concentrações relativamente elevadas de material orgânico e de sólidos suspensos. Para melhorar a qualidade dos efluentes desses reatores, algumas configurações de pós-tratamento têm sido empregadas no Brasil, dentre as quais os sistemas de lodo ativado e a coagulação/precipitação com sais metálicos, geralmente seguida de flotação por ar dissolvido. Nesta pesquisa, foi avaliada a aplicabilidade da coagulação/precipitação com cloreto férrico, a partir de testes em unidades de coagulação em escala de bancada (jar test e flotateste), para três sistemas de pós-tratamento de efluentes de reatores anaeróbios, a saber: coagulação/precipitação do efluente de um reator anaeróbio (RALEx); co-precipitação em um sistema de lodo ativado; e pós-precipitação do efluente do sistema de lodo ativado. Cada um desses sistemas foi testado com separação de sólidos por sedimentação ou por flotação por ar dissolvido, constituindo seis distintas configurações de pós-tratamento. O pós-tratamento do efluente do reator anaeróbio por coagulação/precipitação se mostrou uma alternativa viável técnica e economicamente, tanto para a sedimentação quanto para a flotação por ar dissolvido. Os diagramas de coagulação obtidos tanto nos ensaios de sedimentação quanto nos de flotação demonstraram que a coagulação/precipitação do efluente do RALEx ocorria de modo mais eficiente para valores de pH entre 5 e 7. A coagulação/precipitação do licor misto com cloreto férrico também se mostrou uma opção atrativa, propiciando a obtenção de efluente bastante clarificado, com possibilidades de reúso. Nessa opção, obtiveram-se eficiências adicionais (i.e., em relação ao sobrenadante do licor misto) de remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo de, respectivamente, 80%, 72% e 85%, com dosagem de 80 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L (48 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'/L). Para a coagulação com cloreto férrico, a flotação não apresentou bons resultados na remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo para separação de sólidos do licor misto. O mesmo ocorreu para o efluente final da ETE quando a etapa de separação de sólidos foi a sedimentação. Quando a separação de sólidos foi feita por flotação, obtiveram-se eficiências de remoção de turbidez, DQO e fósforo de, respectivamente, 68%, 53% e 83%, com dosagem de 80 mg de \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L / The anaerobic reactors of modern conception (e.g., UASB and RALEx) remove from 65 to 75% of sanitary wastewater organic matter with relatively low construction, operation, and maintenance costs, in comparison with conventional aerobic processes. Nevertheless, that reactors are usually little efficient in nutrient removal and their effluents may present relatively high organic matter and suspended solid concentrations. In order to improve the quality of effluents from anaerobic reactors, some post-treatment concepts have been employed in Brazil, among which activated sludge systems and coagulation/precipitation with metallic salts, generally followed by dissolved air flotation. In this research, coagulation/precipitation with ferric chloride was assessed using sedimentation and flotation lab-scale test units (jar test and flotateste, respectively) to three post-treatment systems, namely: coagulation/precipitation of effluent from anaerobic reactor; co-precipitation (in the mixed liquor from activated sludge system); and post-precipitation of effluent from activated sludge system. Each system was assessed with solids separation with sedimentation and dissolved air flotation, constituting six different post-treatment scenarios. Coagulation/precipitation of the effluent from the anaerobic reactor showed to be technical and economically attractive, not only for sedimentation but also for dissolved air flotation. Coagulation diagrams obtained in sedimentation and flotation essays showed that coagulation/precipitation of the effluent from RALEX was more efficient when pH values were between 5 and 7. The mixed liquor coagulation/flocculation with ferric chloride were also an attractive option, resulting in a low turbidity effluent suitable for reuse. In this option, additional removals (i.e., in relation to decanted mixed liquor) of turbidity, COD e phosphorus were obtained: 80%, 72% and 85%, respectively, with the dosage of 80 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L (48 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'/L). Flotation did not presented good results in the removal of turbidity, COD and phosphorus in mixed liquor coagulation/precipitation with ferric chloride. The same was to the effluent from the WWTP when sedimentation was employed in the solids separation step. When solids separation was made using flotation, the removal efficiencies of turbidity, COD and phosphorus were, respectively, 68%, 53%, and 83% for the dosage of 80 mg \'FE\'\'CL IND.3\'.6\'H IND.2\'O/L

In this research, five different coagulants were evaluated to determine their effectiveness at removing turbidity, color and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from a surface water in Sarasota County, Florida. Bench-scale jar tests that simulated conventional coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation processes were used. Iron-based coagulants (ferric chloride and ferric sulfate) and aluminum-based coagulants (aluminum sulfate, polyaluminum chloride (PACl) and aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH)) were used to treat a highly organic surface water supply (DOC ranging between 10 and 30 mg/L), known as the Cow Pen Slough, located within central Sarasota County, Florida. Isopleths depicting DOC and color removal efficiencies as a function of both pH and coagulant dose were developed and evaluated. Ferric chloride and ACH were observed to obtain the highest DOC (85% and 70%, respectively) and color (98% and 97%, respectively) removals at the lowest dose concentrations (120 mg/L and 100 mg/L, respectively). Ferric sulfate was effective at DOC removal but required a higher concentration of coagulant and was the least effective coagulant at removing color. The traditional iron-based coagulants and alum had low turbidity removals and they were often observed to add turbidity to the water. PACl and ACH had similar percent removals for color and turbidity achieving consistent percent removals of 95% and 45%, respectively, but PACl was less effective than ACH at removing organics. Sludge settling curves, dose-sludge production ratios, and settling velocities were determined at optimum DOC removal conditions for each coagulant. Ferric chloride was found to have the highest sludge settling rate but also produced the largest sludge quantities. Total trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) was measured iv for the water treated with ferric chloride and ACH. As with DOC removal, ferric chloride yielded a higher percent reduction with respect to THMFP.

The provision of clean drinking water typically involves treatment processes to remove contaminants. The conventional process involves coagulation with hydrolysing metal salts, typically of aluminium (‘alum’) or trivalent iron (‘ferric’). Along with the product water this also produces a waste by-product, or sludge. The fact of increasing sludge production — due to higher levels of treatment and greater volume of water supply — conflicts with modern demands for environmental best practice, leading to higher financial costs. A further issue is the significant quantity of water that is held up in the sludge, and wasted. / One means of dealing with these problems is to dewater the sludge further. This reduces the volume of waste to be disposed of. The consistency is also improved (e.g. for the purpose of landfilling). And a significant amount of water can be recovered. The efficiency, and efficacy, of this process depends on the dewaterability of the sludge.In fact, good dewaterability is vital to the operation of conventional drinking water treatment plants (WTP’s). The usual process of separating the particulates, formed from a blend of contaminants and coagulated precipitate, relies on ‘clarification’ and ‘thickening’, which are essentially settling operations of solid–liquid separation.WTP operators — and researchers — do attempt to measure sludge dewaterability, but usually rely on empirical characterisation techniques that do not tell the full story and can even mislead. Understanding of the physical and chemical nature of the sludge is also surprisingly rudimentary, considering the long history of these processes. / The present work begins by reviewing the current state of knowledge on raw water and sludge composition, with special focus on solid aluminium and iron phases and on fractal aggregate structure. Next the theory of dewatering is examined, with the adopted phenomenological theory contrasted with empirical techniques and other theories.The foundation for subsequent analyses is laid by experimental work which establishes the solid phase density of WTP sludges. Additionally, alum sludges are found to contain pseudoböhmite, while 2-line ferrihydrite and goethite are identified in ferric sludges. / A key hypothesis is that dewaterability is partly determined by the treatment conditions. To investigate this, numerous WTP sludges were studied that had been generated under diverse conditions: some plant samples were obtained, and the remainder were generated in the laboratory (results were consistent). Dewaterability was characterised for each sludge in concentration ranges relevant to settling, centrifugation and filtration using models developed by LANDMAN and WHITE inter alia; it is expressed in terms of both equilibrium and kinetic parameters, py(φ) and R(φ) respectively.This work confirmed that dewaterability is significantly influenced by treatment conditions.The strongest correlations were observed when varying coagulation pH and coagulant dose. At high doses precipitated coagulant controls the sludge behaviour, and dewaterability is poor. Dewaterability deteriorates as pH is increased for high-dose alum sludges; other sludges are less sensitive to pH. These findings can be linked to the faster coagulation dynamics prevailing at high coagulant and alkali dose.Alum and ferric sludges in general had comparable dewaterabilities, and the characteristics of a magnesium sludge were similar too.Small effects on dewaterability were observed in response to variations in raw water organic content and shearing. Polymer flocculation and conditioning appeared mainly to affect dewaterability at low sludge concentrations. Ageing did not produce clear changes in dewaterability.Dense, compact particles are known to dewater better than ‘fluffy’ aggregates or flocs usually encountered in drinking water treatment. This explains the superior dewaterability of a sludge containing powdered activated carbon (PAC). Even greater improvements were observed following a cycle of sludge freezing and thawing for a wide range of WTP sludges. / Further aspects considered in the present work include deviations from simplifying assumptions that are usually made. Specifically: investigation of long-time dewatering behaviour, wall effects, non-isotropic stresses, and reversibility of dewatering (or ‘elasticity’).Several other results and conclusions, of both theoretical and experimental nature, are presented on topics of subsidiary or peripheral interest that are nonetheless important for establishing a reliable basis for research in this area. / This work has proposed links between industrial drinking water coagulation conditions, sludge dewaterability from settling to filtration, and the microstructure of the aggregates making up that sludge. This information can be used when considering the operation or design of a WTP in order to optimise sludge dewaterability, within the constraints of producing drinking water of acceptable quality.