Which method is primarily used for removing smaller suspended particles after flocculation?

The method primarily used for removing smaller suspended particles after flocculation is filtration. During the flocculation process, tiny particles in water are agglomerated into larger clusters or flocs that can be more easily removed. However, some smaller particles may still remain suspended in the water. Filtration involves passing the water through a medium, such as sand or activated carbon, which captures these remaining suspended particles, including those that have not fully aggregated into larger flocs.

Filtration is effective because it can target a wide range of particle sizes, providing a final polish to the water after flocculation. It is particularly important in drinking water treatment processes, where the goal is to produce clear, clean water free from contaminants.

While sedimentation is important in the overall treatment process by allowing larger flocs to settle out, it does not adequately address the smaller, remaining particles. Coagulation is actually the process that precedes flocculation and is used to initiate the removal of particles by destabilizing them, but it does not remove particles directly. Aeration, while useful for certain treatments and improving water quality by introducing oxygen, does not effectively remove suspended particles.