Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🧪 A clumping agent 🧲 Causing clumping
flocculant

flocculant

9.3
A substance added to water to make small bits join into larger lumps
  • noun
  • /ˈflɒkjʊlənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : floculante
  • However, meeting the zeta potential is primarily a hit-and-miss operation that requires adjusting the H up or down and the injection of coagulants and/or flocculants into the wastestream.
  • add a flocculant
  • coagulants and/or flocculants

Examples

  • Once the pH is adjusted, the machine adds a proprietary flocculant to the wastewater.

    Academic text (1994)

  • This means that regardless of the coagulants and flocculants used, they will not be working efficiently.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Are you using the most cost-effective combination of coagulants and flocculants?

    Academic text (1998)

  • PHOTO: The Clean Machine from Hurricane Systems automatically adjusts the pH count and adds a proprietary flocculant to treat wastewater.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The typical chemical addition process is to pH adjust, add a coagulant, and then add a flocculant to wrap up or sweep the floc particles together.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The engineer recommended a specific flocculant to help the sludge settle more quickly in the wastewater treatment process.

  • During the water purification process, the technician added a flocculant to facilitate the removal of suspended particles.

  • To improve the clarity of the water, a flocculant is often used to cause small impurities to clump together.

Synonyms

coagulant
vsflocculant
  • Specialized
3 8.1

Something that makes a liquid like blood or milk become thick and form clots

causes suspended particles to clump into larger visible masses rather than clotting the liquid

Antonyms

dispersant
6.3

Causing particles to spread out evenly in a liquid or mixture

How Effective

flocculant
  • Specialized
9.3
inert
  • Specialized
1 7.1

Surface Forms

flocculant singular
flocculants plural

Morphology

flocculant = flocculate (transparent) = floccul + ant

Noun/agent is formed from the verb 'flocculate' by the productive suffix '-ant', meaning 'a substance that causes flocculation'.

Etymology

Flocculant comes from the Latin floccus 'tuft', the idea of small fibres sticking together, and the root floc- is like a tiny 'flock' of bits. So a flocculant (noun) is a substance that makes suspended particles join into clumps so they can settle or be removed.