Comparative Study of Chitosan and Alum for Water Purification: A Case Study of Jesse River, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Chitosan, derived from the deacetylation of chitin, is an organic polyelectrolyte with notable molecular weight and charge density. This study aims to assess chitosan’s effectiveness in purifying water compared to potassium aluminum sulphate (alum), a standard purification agent. Materials and Methods: Chitosan was synthesized from snail shells via deacetylation with 40% NaOH solution, followed by filtration, neutral pH washing and drying. It was then used to purify Jesse River water in Ethiope West, Delta State, Nigeria, evaluating pH, turbidity, total solids, hardness, nitrate, phosphate, Al³⁺, BOD, COD, DO and total bacteria count using APHA methods. Results: It showed significant reductions in turbidity, total solids, conductivity, hardness, nitrate, phosphate, BOD, COD, Al³⁺ and bacteria count, with DO increasing by 72.52% and pH by 25.81%. In comparison, alum-based purification exhibited lower reductions in turbidity, solids, conductivity, hardness, nitrate, phosphate, BOD, COD and bacteria count, with increased Al³⁺ and decreased pH. Conclusion: Overall, chitosan demonstrated superior water purification efficacy over alum in this study, highlighting its potential for improving water quality in similar settings.