Novel biodegradable polymeric flocculant based on polyacrylamide-grafted tamarind kernel polysaccharide.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Tamarind kernel polysaccharide (TKP) is a natural polymer with potential for modification.
• Biodegradable flocculants are needed for sustainable wastewater treatment.
• Grafting acrylamide onto natural polymers can enhance their properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel biodegradable polymeric flocculants.
• To investigate the effect of different grafting methods (redox, microwave-initiated, microwave-assisted) on flocculant properties.
• To evaluate the flocculation efficiency of the synthesized flocculants in various wastewater types.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of graft copolymers via conventional redox grafting and microwave-assisted grafting of acrylamide onto TKP.
• Characterization using viscometry, elemental analysis, SLS analysis for molecular weight, and NMR spectroscopy.
• Flocculation tests using kaolin suspension, municipal sewage, and textile industry wastewater.

Main Results:

• Graft copolymers were successfully synthesized and characterized.
• Flocculation efficiency was dependent on the grafted polyacrylamide chain length.
• Microwave-assisted grafted flocculant demonstrated superior performance compared to TKP and a commercial flocculant (Rishfloc 226 LV).

Conclusions:

• Biodegradable polymeric flocculants can be effectively synthesized using microwave-assisted grafting.
• The developed flocculants show promise for efficient wastewater treatment.
• Microwave-assisted grafting offers an advantageous method for producing high-performance flocculants.