Abstract

Co-polymers of potato starch and acrylamide have been synthesized using ceric-ion-initiated solution polymerization technique Intrinsic viscosities.elemental analysis, XRD and thermal analysis have been carried out. analysis, The synthetic polymers have been used as flocculants for the treatment of effluent collected from Emami Paper Mills, Balasore, Orissa, India. For the above effluent both coagulation and flocculation studies have been carried out using various coagulants and the synthetic flocculant. The effects of various coagulants in combination with the synthetic flocculant and their concentrations on flocculation have been studied. The supernatant turbidity of the coagulated/flocculated effluent has been measured for each concentration of the effluent. A wide range of concentrations of the effluent has been chosen to predict the appropriate dilution required for the flocculation of such systems. The flocculation efficiency of the synthesized polymer has been compared using Magnafloc 1011 (M/s Allied Colloids, UK). It has been observed that due to the complex nature of the paper mill effluents, coagulation with electrolytes is essential before the flocculation of such systems with the synthesized polymer and the synthesized polymer may be used as flocculation aid for such systems.

Abbreviations: PPM: Parts Per Million; RPM: Rotations Per Minutet