Characterization of Native and Graft Copolymerized Albizia Gums and Their Application as a Flocculant

T Adeniyi Afolabi,Daniel G Adekanmi

doi:10.1155/2017/3125385

Abstract

The functional properties and flocculation efficiency of purified Albizia saman (AS) and Albizia glaberrima (AG) gum exudates modified by graft copolymerization with acrylamide were investigated. The grafting efficiency of AS and AG was 54 and 58%, respectively. The cold water-insoluble gel of native AS and AG was 38.23 and 35.55%, which increased to 39.75 and 40.55% after graft copolymerization. Graft copolymerization of AS and AG gums reduced their oil binding and emulsion capacity from 4.89 and 3.44% to 3.69 and 2.40%, respectively. The dissolution kinetics of the native gums between 40 and 90°C and 0 and 150 min revealed a steady increase in solubility of the native gums from 6.05 to 9.53 g/L (AS) and 5.90 to 8.78 g/L (AG). The flocculation efficiency of the native AS and AG gums at 50 ppm concentration was 74.30 and 74.73%, which increased to 98.46% and 98.29% in the graft copolymerized gums, respectively.

Highlights

The increase in world population has greatly influenced the expansion and sophistication of the industrial growth, with its concomitant environmental hazard
Gum exudates from Albizia saman (AS) and Albizia glaberrima (AG) were collected at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria campus
The moisture content of AS and AG gums was at par with that reported for xanthan gum and gum arabic but lower than that reported for other Albizia species [25, 26]

Summary

Introduction

The increase in world population has greatly influenced the expansion and sophistication of the industrial growth, with its concomitant environmental hazard. The generation of wastewater which contains very fine suspended solids, organic and inorganic particles, dissolved solids, metals, and other impurities is harmful to the environment with major health issues in various organisms. Gums are widely used as flocculants in water treatment because they are nontoxic, biodegradable, and effective [5]. Their efficiency as flocculants is largely dependent on the gum’s molecular ability to trap suspended particles to form flocs. Records of characterization and industrial application of AS and AG are scarce; the study of the functional properties and their industrial application as flocculants in waste water treatment may provide an efficient and functionally viable gum with industrial appeal

Materials and Methods

Findings

Result and Discussion

Conclusion