The biodegradable flocculant was synthesized from local natural raw material – potato starch by using 3-chloro-2- hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride as a modification agent during the project. The flocculant is suitable for algae biomass flocculation, dewatering. Composition and synthesis conditions of flocculant are chosen by synthesis results: minimum dose, maximum velocity of flocculation and effective range of concentrations.
Project funding:
Project is funded by EU Structural Funds according to the 2014–2020 Operational Programme for the European Union Funds’ Investments priority “Development of scientific competence of researchers, other researchers, students through practical scientific activities” under Measure No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712.
Project results:
Six different cationic starch (CS) samples, which have quaternary ammonium groups, with degree of substitution 0.2, 0.26 and 0.32, were synthesized in alkaline medium by using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride as modification agent and with or without CaO additive. CS samples with CaO flocculation efficiency 3-4 times better than samples without CaO additives and their effective dose is about 1.7 mg/g. A similar effect of CaO additive on flocculants efficacy was also observed destabilizing kaolin dispersion. CS samples with CaO addition 1.5-3.6 times were more effective in kaolin model system, the effective doses ranged between 4.5 – 11.3 mg/g. Without CaO addition in modification reaction, the effective doses in precipitation of kaolin model system was 15.6-18.1 mg CS for 1 g kaolin.
Period of project implementation: 2021-07-05 - 2021-08-31
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
