Tanac Tanfloc organic coagulant/flocculant

Tanfloc is a tannin-based flocculant/coagulant that can be suitable for wastewater treatment applications. Developed from Acacia tree bark, it is designed as an organic replacement for metal-based alternatives that use aluminium and ferric chlorides.

The product is manufactured by Tanac, a Brazilian company which has over 260 km² of renewable forests. This makes it one of the largest suppliers of Black Acacia (Wattle) and it is certified with ISO 9002, ISO14001 and NSF accreditation.

Traditional coagulants used in water and wastewater treatment are generally inorganic (typically containing Al3+ or Fe3+ salts) and therefore can leave residues in the sludge and supernatant. This residue can create problems with sludge and water disposal, interfering with further downstream biological treatment. These products not only add metals to the discharge, but also increase salts (sulfates and chlorides) which in turn can cause further disposal issues.

Tanfloc works by neutralising charges, destabilising them, producing floccules and causing their sedimentation. It does not consume the environment’s alkalinity, therefore it does not change the pH of the water being treated. This makes the use of alkalising agents unnecessary in many cases.

The renewable product is 100% biodegradable, it does not contribute to the disposal issues of sludge and in many cases enables organic-based sludge to be composted or disposed of onto farm pasture. The product will completely and quickly digest during biological treatment and can be used as the primary coagulant or as an auxiliary flocculation agent. It is compatible with most products used for this purpose.

Suitable for applications within the food, mining and petrochemical industries, the product is available in a powder or liquid form and in varying degrees of concentration (Liq) depending on plant location and available delivery systems.