Wenquan Sun

Plasma-initiated polymerization of chitosan-based CS-g-P(AM-DMDAAC) flocculant for the enhanced flocculation of low-algal-turbidity water

In this work, a highly efficient and environmentally friendly chitosan-based graft flocculant, namely, acrylamide- and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride-grafted chitosan [CS-g-P(AM-DMDAAC)], was prepared successfully through plasma initiation. FTIR results confirmed the successful polymerization of CS-g-P(AM-DMDAAC) and P(AM-DMDAAC). P(AM-DMDAAC) was the copolymer of acrylamide- and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride. SEM results revealed that a densely cross-linked network structure formed on the surface. XRD results verified that the ordered crystal structure of chitosan in CS-g-P(AM-DMDAAC) was changed into an amorphous structure after plasma-induced polymerization. The flocculation results of low-algal-turbidity water further showed the optimal flocculation efficiency of turbidity removal rate, COD removal rate, and Chl-a removal rate were 99.02%, 96.11%, and 92.20%, respectively. The flocculation efficiency of CS-g-P(AM-DMDAAC) were significantly higher than those obtained by cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) and Polymeric aluminum and iron (PAFC). This work provided a valuable basis for the design of eco-friendly naturally modified polymeric flocculants to enhance the flocculation of low-algal-turbidity water.

UV-initiated synthesis of a novel chitosan-based flocculant with high flocculation efficiency for algal removal

In this study, maleyl chitosan-graft-polyacrylamide (MHCS-g-PAM), a novel chitosan-based flocculant, was prepared through UV irradiation, and maleyl chitosan (MHCS) was designed and prepared with maleic anhydride and acrylamide (AM) through maleyl acylation reaction. The effects of monomer concentration, MHCS-to-AM ratio, illumination time, initiator concentration, pH on viscosity, and grafting efficiency were investigated to optimize the synthesis of these substances. MHCS-g-PAM was characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Flocculation mechanisms in alga-containing wastewater at various pH levels and dosages were examined in detail on the basis of zeta potential measurements. Zeta potential experiments indicated that the adsorption-bridging and charge neutralization mechanisms played an important role in algal removal. Flocculation tests on algal removal demonstrated that the flocculation performance of MHCS-g-PAM was more effective than that of cationic polyacrylamide, polyferric sulfate, and polymeric aluminium. The optimal Chl-a and COD removal rate obtained by MHCS-g-PAM was 98.6% and 94.9% at pH7 and 4mg·L-1, respectively.

Plasma-induced synthesis of chitosan-g-polyacrylamide and its flocculation performance for algae removal

ABSTRACT Chitosan (CS)-g-polyacrylamide (PAM) is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly flocculant, which was synthesized through plasma-induced graft copolymerization of CS and acrylamide (AM). The effects of monomer concentration, AM:CS ratio, discharge power, discharge time, post-polymerization temperature, and post-polymerization time on the intrinsic viscosity, grafting ratio, and grafting efficiency of CS-g-PAM were investigated. The optimum conditions of graft copolymerization were as follows: 20% monomer concentration, 7:3 AM:CS ratio, 40u2005W discharge power, 90u2005s discharge time, 50°C post-polymerization temperature, and 24u2005h post-polymerization time. The structural characteristics of CS-g-PAM were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. CS-g-PAM exhibited better flocculation efficiency than the commercially available PAM in both diatomite-simulated wastewater and low-turbidity algal water. The optimal turbidity removal efficiency for the diatomite-simulated wastewater was 99.9%, which was obtained with 6u2005mgu2005L−1 of CS-g-PAM at pH 11.0 and 250u2005s−1 of velocity gradient. In low-turbidity algal water, the optimal removal efficiencies for chlorophyll-a, turbidity, and COD were 93.6%, 94.5%, and 98.2%, respectively.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of tetracycline by Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 three-dimensional particle electrode

In this work, highly efficient Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrodes were prepared for effectively degrading tetracycline. The effects of a mass ratio (Sn: Sb), the mass ration of Bi:(Snu2009+u2009Sb), impregnation times, calcination temperature, and calcination time on the electrocatalytic oxidation capacity of Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode was investigated. Conditions in which mass ratio of (Sn: Sb)u2009=u200910:1, the mass ratio of Bi:(Sn/Sb)u2009=u20091:1, impregnation times 2u2009h, calcination temperature 500u2009°C., and calcination time 3u2009h were considered as optimal preparation conditions for Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode. It was cherecterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques to conforming that the triclinic Bi2O3 formed in the preparation conditions has superior electrocatalytic activity. The electrocatalytic oxidation mechanism of tetracycline by Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode is proposed by determining degradation intermediates through LC-MS detection. Electrocatalytic oxidation experiments by adding tert-butyl alcohol indicate that the formation of OH is the primary responsibility for degradating tetracycline. Electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline at different initial concentration shows that the degradation of tetracycline meets the pseudo first-order kinetics. Results suggest that the three-dimensional electrochemical reactor with Bi-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrodes could be an alternative for the pretreatment of antibiotic wastewater before biological treatment.