Calcium carbonate scaling prevention by a green chemical inhibitor, gallic acid

Abstract

Abstract This work deals with the inhibition of the scaling capacity of Hamma Bouziane (HB) groundwater (Algeria). In this study, the scale inhibition efficiency of gallic acid on calcium carbonate formation was assessed using chronoamperometry and impedancemetry. Owing to its characteristics of non‐toxicity and biodegradability, gallic acid can be classified as a green inhibitor. The obtained results showed that the addition of 1 mg/L of gallic acid to HB water significantly slows down scale formation, while the total inhibition of CaCO 3 deposition needed only 4 mg/L. Thus, gallic acid proved to be an effective scaling inhibitor at very low concentration. The formed deposit was analysed by X‐Ray Diffractometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The results revealed that the predominant crystal structure is a mixture of calcite and aragonite in the presence of an inhibitor.