Flocculating Properties of Polycondensate of 1-Butyl Amine and Epichlorohydrin

Abstract A water-soluble cationic polymer synthesized by condensation of 1-butyl amine and epichlorohydrin (PBE) was tested for its potential use as a flocculant. Its interactions with colloidal bentonite particles in aqueous medium were studied in terms of adsorption isotherms, zeta (ζ) potential measurement, turbidity removals, and filterability enhancement. Its effect as a filtration aid on the waste sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was also studied. The adsorption of PBE on the bentonite particles is closely described by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. As the amounts of PBE adsorbed on the bentonite particles increase, the ζ potential of the particles changes its sign from negative to positive. This inversion of sign confirms that PBE is cationic in nature. PBE shows effects of flocculation and filterability enhancement to the colloidal suspension of bentonite and the waste sludge. Keywords: Flocculationfiltrationzeta potentialadsorption isothermcationic polyelectrolyte