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Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants

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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2020) | Viewed by 21804

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sarang Gumfekar

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar Nangal Road, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India
Interests: polyelectrolytes; hydrogels; aerogels; floccualnts; smart polymers; water treatment; polymeric membranes; cellulose nanomaterials

Prof. Dr. João Soares

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
Interests: water-soluble polymer; polymeric flocculants; oil sands tailings; polymer reaction engineering; polymer characterization

Special Issue Information

The worldwide industrial and agricultural revolution has significantly affected water quality and, in turn, public health. Water pollution of water is one of the current global crises. The composition of water and the interactions of contaminants with water have become complex, resulting in challenging water chemistry. Such contaminants include organic and inorganic materials, heavy metals, dyes and pigments, petroleum products, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and industrial tailings. Polymeric flocculants have been used for water treatment for several decades. The mechanisms of contaminant removal using polymers have varied based on the novelty in the physicochemical properties of polymers and application processes. Moreover, several researchers have modeled and simulated water treatment processes using a variety of perspectives and tools.

This Special Issue on “Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants” seeks high-quality original contributions (experiments, theory, and modeling) and review articles. The scope of the Issue covers the synthesis of novel polymers and their demonstration as flocculants for contaminant removal. The manuscripts can have aspects of new synthesis technique, novel flocculation mechanism, and improved fundamental understanding backed by comprehensive data. The polymers may include but are not limited to polyelectrolytes, responsive polymers, natural polymers, nanocomposites, and degradable polymers. This Special Issue wants to draw the attention of the industrial and academic community to the latest developments in the field of polymeric flocculants, and connect them to the possibility of creating more sustainable solutions for water treatment.

Dr. Sarang Gumfekar
Prof. Dr. João Soares
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Flocculants
Polyelectrolytes
Heavy metal removal
Tailings dewatering
Flocculation modeling and simulation
Wastewater treatment
Multifunctional polymers
Contaminants removal

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2431 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant-Based Tacca leontopetaloides Biopolymer Flocculant (TBPF) Produced High Removal of Heavy Metal Ions at Low Dosage

by Nurul Shuhada Mohd Makhtar, Juferi Idris, Mohibah Musa, Yoshito Andou, Ku Halim Ku Hamid and Siti Wahidah Puasa

Processes 2021, 9(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9010037 - 26 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1952

Abstract

High removal of heavy metals using plant-based bioflocculant under low concentration is required due to its low cost, abundant source, and nontoxicity for improved wastewater management and utilization in the water industry. This paper presents a treatment of synthetic wastewater using plant-based Tacca leontopetaloides biopolymer flocculant (TBPF) without modification on its structural polymer chains. It produced a high removal of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Ni, and Cd) at a low concentration of TBPF dosage. In our previous report, TBPF was characterized and successfully reduced the turbidity, total suspended solids, and color for leachate treatment; however, its effectiveness for heavy metal removal has not been reported. The removal of these heavy metals was performed using a standard jar test procedure at different pH values of synthetic wastewater and TBPF dosages. The effects of hydroxide ion, pH, initial TBPF concentration, initial metal ion concentration, and TBPF dosage were examined using one factorial at the time (OFAT). The results show that the highest removal for Zn, Pb, Ni, and Cd metal ions were 98.4–98.5%, 79–80%, 97–98%, and 92–93%, respectively, using 120 mg/L dosage from the initial concentration of 10% TBPF at pH 10. The final concentrations for Zn, Pb, Ni, and Cd metal ions were 0.043–0.044, 0.41–0.43, 0.037–0.054, and 0.11–0.13 mg/L, respectively, which are below the Standard B discharge limit set by the Department of Environment (DOE), Malaysia. The results show that TBPF has a high potential for the removal of heavy metals, particularly Zn, Pb, Ni, and Cd, in real wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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19 pages, 1356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study between Bimetallic Iron@copper Nanoparticles with Iron and Copper Nanoparticles Synthesized Using a Bioflocculant: Their Applications and Biosafety

by Nkosinathi Goodman Dlamini, Albertus Kotze Basson and Viswanadha Srirama Rajasekhar Pullabhotla

Processes 2020, 8(9), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091125 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3206

Abstract

Nanotechnology addresses numerous environmental problems such as wastewater treatment. Ground water, surface water and wastewater that is contaminated by toxic organic, inorganic solutes and pathogenic microorganisms can now be treated through the application of nanotechnology. The study reports iron@copper (Fe@Cu) nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) and copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) synthesized using a bioflocculant in a green approach technique. Characterization of the as-synthesized materials was achieved using analytical techniques such as Fourier transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The presence of hydroxyl (–OH) and amine (–NH₂) groups was shown by FT-IR spectroscopy studies and the as-synthesized material was shown to be thermostable. Elements such as oxygen, carbon, iron and copper were found to be abundant in Wt%. Absorption peaks were found between 200 and 390 nm wavelength and diffraction peaks at 2θ –29°, 33° and 35° for FeNPs, CuNPs and Fe@Cu, respectively. In their application, the effect of various parameters on the flocculation activity were evaluated. Both the CuNPs and (Fe@Cu) nanoparticles have shown the best flocculation activity at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL with over 90% activity, while the dosage size with a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL was optimal for FeNPs. The FeNPs were found to be cation dependent, while CuNPs and Fe@Cu nanoparticles flocculate in the absence of a cation and flocculate both in acidic and alkaline pH. All the synthesized nanoparticles are thermostable and maintain flocculation activity above 80% at 100 °C. Both the Fe@Cu and CuNPs were found to be effective in removing dyes with the removal efficiency above 89% and were found to be effective in removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in Mzingazi river water and coal mine wastewater with over 80% removal efficiency. Moreover, the synthesized nanoparticles showed some remarkable antimicrobial properties when evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The as-synthesized material was found to be safe to use at low concentration when verified against human embryonic cells (HEK293) and breast cancer cells (MCF7) and biodegradable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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Graphical abstract

14 pages, 3133 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Evaluation of a Novel Polymeric Flocculant for Enhanced Water Recovery of Mature Fine Tailings

by Kyle C. Lister, Heather Kaminsky and Robin A. Hutchinson

Processes 2020, 8(6), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8060735 - 24 Jun 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3033

Abstract

The novel cationic flocculant, poly(lactic acid) choline iodide ester methacrylate (poly(PLA₄ChMA)), has been shown to provide improved flocculation of 5.0 wt.% mature fine tailings (MFT) diluted in deionized water compared to commercial anionic polymers, with continued dewatering of the sediment occurring as the polymer undergoes partial hydrolytic degradation. However, the elevated dosages (10,000 ppm) required would make the polymer costly to implement on an industrial scale. With this motivation, the impact of MFT loading and the use of process water is explored while comparing the settling performance of poly(PLA₄ChMA) to available commercial alternatives such as anionic FLOPAM A3338. Improved consolidation of 5.0 wt.% MFT diluted with process water could be achieved at reduced dosages (500 ppm) with poly(PLA₄ChMA). However, the final compaction levels after polymer degradation were similar to those achieved with the nondegradable commercial flocculants. Flocculation-filtration experiments with undiluted MFT are also conducted to compare the performance of the polymers. Significantly faster rates of water release were observed with the cationic flocculants compared to FLOPAM A3338, but no improvement in the overall tailings compaction was found either before or after poly(PLA₄ChMA) degradation. Thus, the improved dewatering observed with poly(PLA₄ChMA) in dilute MFT suspensions does not extend to conditions that would be encountered in the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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20 pages, 5577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Test Procedures Based on Chaotic Advection for Assessing Polymer Performance in High-Solids Tailings Applications

by Allan Costine, Phillip Fawell, Andrew Chryss, Stuart Dahl and John Bellwood

Processes 2020, 8(6), 731; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8060731 - 24 Jun 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3179

Abstract

Post-thickener polymer addition to initiate rapid tailings dewatering has gained considerable interest for tailings storage facility (TSF) management. However, the highly viscous and non-Newtonian rheology of dense suspensions presents unique challenges for mixing with polymer solutions. Such mixing is highly inefficient, often resulting in polymer overdosing and wide variations in deposited tailings characteristics, with the potential to significantly compromise TSF performance. In this study, a new type of mixer based on the principles of chaotic advection was used for treating kaolin suspensions with high molecular weight (MW) anionic copolymer solutions. Chaotic advection imparts efficient mixing by gently stretching and folding flows in a controlled manner, as opposed to random, high-shear flows associated with turbulent mixing, and this lower shear stress allows for the controlled formation of larger aggregate structures with vastly improved dewatering characteristics. A pre-conditioning pipe reactor prior to this mixer can also be advantageous in terms of providing a short burst of high shear for initial polymer distribution. Seven acrylamide/acrylate copolymers of a fixed anionic charge density (30%) spanning a distinct MW range, as characterized by intrinsic viscosity, were applied at elevated dosages to high-solids (20–30 wt %) kaolin suspensions in continuous flow through the chaotic mixer described above. Medium-to-high MW polymers were generally preferred, with further increases in MW resulting in significantly diminished dewatering outcomes. Direct analysis of polymer solution properties through oscillatory rheology gave a better indication of a polymer’s potential performance compared with intrinsic viscosity, offering a more robust basis for polymer selection. This represented the first systematic study into the effects of polymer properties on deposition behavior after dosing at high solids, which was only possible through the ability to apply controlled shear across the entire suspension during sample preparation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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17 pages, 3711 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Data-Driven Modelling of the Complex Interaction between Flocculant Properties and Floc Size and Structure

by Anita Lourenço, Marco S. Reis, Julien Arnold and Maria Graca Rasteiro

Processes 2020, 8(3), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8030349 - 19 Mar 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2585

Abstract

Polymeric flocculants are widely used due to their ability to efficiently promote flocculation at low dosages. However, fundamental background knowledge about how they act and interact with the substrates is often scarce, or insufficient to infer the best chemical configuration for treating a specific effluent. Inductive, data-driven approaches offer a viable solution, enabling the development of effective solutions for each type of effluent, overcoming the knowledge gap. In this work, we present such an inductive workflow that combines the statistical design of experiments and predictive modelling, and demonstrates its effectiveness in the development of anionic polymeric flocculants for the treatment of a real effluent from the potato crisps manufacturing industry. Based on the results presented, it is possible to conclude that the hydrodynamic diameter, charged fraction and concentration are the parameters with a stronger influence on the characteristics of flocs obtained when using copolymers, while the charged fraction, concentration and hydrophobic content present a stronger influence on the characteristics of flocs obtained using terpolymers containing a hydrophobic monomer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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14 pages, 2708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Demulsification Properties of Cationic Hyperbranched Polyamidoamines for Polymer Flooding Emulsions and Microemulsions

by Yangang Bi, Zhi Tan, Liang Wang, Wusong Li, Congcong Liu, Zhantao Wang, Xiangchen Liu and Xinru Jia

Processes 2020, 8(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8020176 - 4 Feb 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3232

Abstract

Polymer flooding emulsions and microemulsions caused by tertiary oil recovery technologies are harmful to the environment due to their excellent stability. Two cationic hyperbranched polyamidoamines (H-PAMAM), named as H-PAMAM-HA and H-PAMAM-ETA, were obtained by changing the terminal denotation agents to H-PAMAM, which was characterized by ¹H NMR, FT-IR, and amine possession, thereby confirmed the modification. Samples (300 mg/L) were added to the polymer flooding emulsion (1500 mg/L oil concentration) at 30 °C for 30 min and the H-PAMAM-HA and H-PAMAM-ETA were shown to perform at 88% and 91% deoil efficiency. Additionally, the increased settling time and the raised temperature enhanced performance. For example, an oil removal ratio of 97.7% was observed after dealing with the emulsion for 30 min at 60 °C, while 98.5% deoil efficiency was obtained after 90 min at 45 °C for the 300 mg/L H-PAMAM-ETA. To determine the differences when dealing with the emulsion, the interfacial tension, ζ potential, and turbidity measurements were fully estimated. Moreover, diametrically different demulsification mechanisms were found when the samples were utilized to treat the microemulsion. The modified demulsifiers showed excellent demulsification efficiency via their obvious electroneutralization and bridge functions, while the H-PAMAM appeared to enhance the stability of the microemulsion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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Review

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15 pages, 781 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pressure-Driven Membrane Process: A Review of Advanced Technique for Heavy Metals Remediation

by Bharti Verma, Chandrajit Balomajumder, Manigandan Sabapathy and Sarang P. Gumfekar

Processes 2021, 9(5), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9050752 - 24 Apr 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3983

Abstract

Pressure-driven processes have come a long way since they were introduced. These processes, namely Ultra-Filtration (UF), Nano-Filtration (NF), and Reverse-Osmosis (RO), aim to enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment, thereby aiming at a cleaner production. Membranes may be polymeric, ceramic, metallic, or organo-mineral, and the filtration techniques differ in pore size from dense to porous membrane. The applied pressure varies according to the method used. These are being utilized in many exciting applications in, for example, the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and wastewater treatment. This paper attempts to comprehensively review the principle behind the different pressure-driven membrane technologies and their use in the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. The transport mechanism has been elaborated, which helps in the predictive modeling of the membrane system. Fouling of the membrane is perhaps the only barrier to the emergence of membrane technology and its full acceptance. However, with the use of innovative techniques of fabrication, this can be overcome. This review is concluded with perspective recommendations that can be incorporated by researchers worldwide as a new problem statement for their work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Applications of Polymeric Flocculants)

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