ArticlePloS one2026
Sustainable use of longan seed waste as a natural coagulant aid for low-cost and eco-friendly water treatment.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Conventional water treatment relies on chemical coagulants like alum, which, despite being effective, generate harmful alumina residues and significant non-biodegradable sludge. Furthermore, alum is costly and associated with neurological risks and freshwater acidification. Seeking safer, eco-friendly, and cost-effective alternatives, this study systematically evaluated the coagulation efficiency of Longan Seed Powder (LSP), derived from the abundant agricultural waste of the Dimocarpus longan fruit. LSP, primarily composed of 82.31% starch, was characterized, and its potential was assessed in systematic Jar test experiments conducted in 1 L batches using kaolin-based synthetic and raw river water. To ensure statistical robustness, all conditions were performed in triplicate (n = 3), using both untreated (negative) and alum-only (positive) controls for comparison. When tested alone, LSP achieved limited turbidity removal (<25%). However, when used as a coagulant aid, 0.5 mg/L LSP combined with 1 mg/L alum (pH 4) demonstrated powerful synergistic effectiveness. The optimal system achieved a 96.7% turbidity reduction in synthetic water, performance comparable to using alum alone at a fivefold higher dose (5 mg/L) (96.5% removal). In raw river water (initial 50 NTU), this combination reduced turbidity by 85.0% while minimizing changes in pH and TDS. The study confirms that LSP, through its starch-based functional groups, contributes to coagulation primarily via charge neutralization and polymer bridging. With a low production cost of just THB 9.78/kg (USD 0.30/kg), LSP is demonstrated to be an effective and economically viable natural coagulant aid. These findings support decentralized, eco-friendly water treatment systems by valorizing agricultural waste and significantly reducing chemical usage. This research provides the first systematic evaluation of the LSP-alum combination in both synthetic and natural waters.
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