verb
- to form or cause to form small clumps or masses, especially of particles in a liquid
Usage: technical; chemistry
Examples
- The clay particles began to flocculate when salt was added to the water.
- Water treatment plants use chemicals to flocculate impurities for easier removal.
- The protein solution will flocculate if heated too rapidly.
- Adding lime to the wastewater caused the suspended solids to flocculate.
- The scientist observed how the bacteria flocculated under certain pH conditions.
- Industrial processes often flocculate waste materials to separate them from liquids.