Amino-Acid-Modified-Cashew Gum Flocculant: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application

• Published in: Journal of polymers and the environment Vol. 27; no. 7; pp. 1465 - 1474
• Main Authors: Klein, Jalma Maria, de Lima, Vanessa Silva, Haack, Michele, da Feira, José Manoel Couto, de Camargo Forte, Maria Madalena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amino acids; Amino groups; Anacardiaceae; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; COPOLYMERS; Efficiency; Electrostatic properties; ELECTROSTATICS; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Flocculants; FLOCCULATION; GUMS; Impurities; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; KAOLIN; L-Serine; Materials Science; Original Paper; Polymer Sciences; SERINE; SUSPENSIONS; SYNTHESIS; WASTE WATER; Wastewater; Cashew gum; Amino acid; Graft copolymer; Flocculation; Amphoteric polymers
• ISSN: 1566-2543; 1572-8919
• DOI: 10.1007/s10924-019-01440-z

Amphoteric poly( O -methacryloyl- l -serine)-grafted cashew gum (CG- g -P(SerMA)) flocculant was obtained with highly efficient in separation and sequential recovery of kaolin particles from aqueous suspension. The highest flocculation efficiency was achieved with a flocculant synthesized using an O -methacryloyl- l -serine:cashew gum molar ratio of 3:1. The CG- g -P(SerMA) at a dosage of 3.0 mg L −1 resulted in a flocculation efficiency of more than 90% within 20 min for kaolin suspension. The efficiency, in standard experiments, the flocculant CG- g -P(SerMA) was superior to cashew gum and polyacrylamide-based commercial flocculants. The flocculation mechanism involves electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged surface of the kaolin and the protonated amino groups of the flocculant under acidic conditions. These results provide new opportunities and challenges for understanding and improving the removal of impurities present in water and wastewater.