Open Access
ARTICLE
Chitosan and Carboxymethylchitosan as High Turbidity Water Biocoagulants
Raimundo N. Lima Júnior1, João L. I. O. Almeida1, Jones de Andrade2, Flávia O. M. S. Abreu1,*
1 Natural Sciences Program, State University of Ceará-UECE, Fortaleza, CE 60714-903, Brazil
2 Physical-Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul-UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil
* Corresponding Author: Flávia O. M. S. Abreu. Email:
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: 15th Brazilian Polymer Conference (15th CBPol))
Journal of Renewable Materials 2020, 8(11), 1489-1504. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2020.011629
Received 20 May 2020; Accepted 09 July 2020; Issue published 28 September 2020
Abstract
Biocoagulants emerges as a promising technology in water treatment,
in order to exploit renewable and biodegradable materials. The present work aims
to study the coagulant action of chitosan and carboxymethylchitosan on water
with very high turbidity (above 300 NTU), contrasting the physicochemical
results with those obtained for aluminum sulphate. Carboxymethylchitosan was
produced by the Williamson’s ethers synthesis and characterized by potentiometric titration, FTIR and
1
H-NMR. The coagulant tests were performed using
synthetic water in a Jar-test equipment, through the induction of high and low
velocity gradients, followed by sedimentation. The results showed turbidity and
color removal efficiencies above 99% for the biocoagulants, by applying dosages
much lower than those used for aluminum sulphate; the volume of sedimentable
solids obtained at the end of the water treatment process was much lower when
chitosan and carboxymethylchitosan were used as coagulants (reduction of 25%
when compared to aluminum sulphate). In summary, carboxymethylchitosan is
a non-toxic, renewable, biodegradable material with high efficiency as a coagulant
for waters with very high turbidity, showing promise for in natura applications.
Keywords
Cite This Article
N., R., L., J., Andrade, J. D., O., F. (2020). Chitosan and Carboxymethylchitosan as High Turbidity Water Biocoagulants.
Journal of Renewable Materials, 8(11), 1489–1504.