Wastewater Pretreatment Chemicals
Industrial wastewater rarely behaves the same from one operation to another, which makes the right chemistry essential. ALAR supplies wastewater pretreatment chemicals engineered to separate oils, surfactants, metals, and suspended solids before filtration or dewatering. As a division of Ovivo USA LLC, ALAR combines chemical expertise with decades of wastewater engineering experience to help users meet discharge requirements and optimize treatment performance.
Equipment Solutions
Compliance Solutions
Types of Wastewater Pretreatment Chemicals
ALAR warehouses a wide selection of wastewater pretreatment chemicals for pH control, coagulation, flocculation, clarification, and sludge dewatering. Each chemical serves a specific role in preparing wastewater for efficient treatment and compliance.
Dry & Liquid Polymers
Cationic and anionic polymers bind fine particles into larger solids for easier separation, a process known as flocculation. These polymers improve flow rates, enhance effluent quality, and reduce filter aid use, supporting more efficient dewatering. ALAR offers both dry and liquid formulations tailored to different wastewater streams and system setups.
One-Step™ Bentonite Clay
ALAR’s One-Step™ chemicals combine bentonite clay with special additives that absorb and encapsulate suspended solids. They effectively remove emulsified oils, inks, surfactants, phosphates, and dissolved metals from industrial wastewater. One-Step™ is ideal for batch treatment up to 10,000 gallons and can be integrated with sludge dewatering, solids settling, or clarifier systems.
Ferric Sulfate
Ferric sulfate (Fe₂(SO₄)₃) is a versatile iron-based compound used in wastewater pretreatment for pH adjustment, coagulation, and the precipitation of dissolved heavy metals. ALAR supplies both granular (F201) and specialty liquid (L-F201) blends that lower pH and enhance contaminant removal during co-precipitation.
Filter Aid Media
Diatomaceous earth (DE) and perlite are the most common filter aid materials used in precoat filtration systems. DE’s natural honeycomb structure and perlite’s porous volcanic composition provide excellent clarification and high throughput. As one of the nation’s largest suppliers of diatomaceous earth, ALAR leverages volume purchasing to keep quality high and costs competitive.
pH Adjustment and Neutralization Chemicals
Proper pH control is fundamental to effective wastewater treatment. ALAR provides chemicals formulated for neutralization and for the precipitation of heavy metals, surfactants, and emulsified solids. These products stabilize wastewater chemistry, helping users maintain discharge compliance and protect downstream filtration equipment.
Importance of Wastewater Pretreatment Chemicals
Chemical pretreatment plays a vital role in preparing industrial wastewater for filtration, clarification, or discharge. When properly matched to the waste stream, these chemicals improve process performance and reduce overall operating costs.
Regulatory Compliance
Proper use of wastewater pretreatment chemicals supports compliance with local and federal discharge standards by removing emulsified oils, surfactants, and metals before final filtration.
Cost and Resource Optimization
Efficient pretreatment reduces chemical consumption downstream, conserves filter aid media, and prolongs equipment lifespan, leading to measurable cost savings.
Equipment Protection and Performance
Pretreatment chemicals safeguard pumps, clarifiers, and filtration systems by neutralizing corrosive compounds and stabilizing pH, extending their service life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wastewater Pretreatment Chemicals
They prepare wastewater for filtration or dewatering by separating oils, surfactants, metals, and suspended solids. This step prevents filter clogging and enhances overall system performance.
Yes. ALAR offers laboratory bench testing to identify the most effective pretreatment chemistry for each specific wastewater stream.
Absolutely. ALAR’s pretreatment chemicals integrate with virtually any wastewater treatment system, including plate-and-frame presses, DAF units, and clarifiers.
ALAR warehouses a variety of chemical pretreatment products for industrial user applications such as sludge dewatering, pH neutralization and solids settling/clarification. ALAR also has access to filter aid media, defoamer or antifoam, and odor control chemical agents.
Dry & Liquid Polymers
Cationic and anionic polymers use a molecular chain to bridge small wastewater particles into a group of large solid particles; also known as coagulation or flocculation. Polymers increase flow rates, enhance effluent quality, conserve filter aid usage and provide cost savings.
Industrial wastewater is a moving target, no two waste streams react the same. ALAR understands these differences, and uses its chemical, engineering and technical resources to deliver a cost-effective treatment solution. ALAR offers a wide range of anionic and cationic blends used for both coagulation and flocculation of solids.
One-Step™
ALAR supplies a treatment product that consists of a bentonite clay that absorbs particles, and chemical separating agent that encapsulates solids. This unique formula removes emulsified oils, ink particles, phosphates and suspended solids from industrial wastewater. One-Step™ is not a filter aid media, but a pretreatment chemical that is added to wastewater prior to filtration.
pH Adjustment / pH Neutralization Chemicals
ALAR carries industrial pH control chemicals used for neutralization or the precipitation and removal of heavy metals, surfactants and emulsified wastewater solids.
