Flocculation Properties of Some Cationic Polysaccharides

Flocculation of a clay suspension model using some cationic polysaccharides has been studied by turbidity measurements. The investigated polyelectrolytes contain quaternary ammonium salt groups, N-ethyl-N, N-dimethyl-2-hydroxypropylene ammonium chloride, attached to a dextran backbone. The flocculation efficiency was studied as a function of the polycation charge density and some flocculation parameters (polycation dose, settling time, concentration of both clay suspension and parent solution of polymer). All investigated cationic polysaccharides showed high flocculating efficiency at optimum flocculant doses, which correlated well with the charge density of the polycations: the higher charge density, the lower the amount of dextran derivative was required for reaching the maximum clarity degree (of about 100%). This finding is consistent with the neutralization mechanism for a flocculation process. The residual turbidity values also varied with the settling time and the concentrations of clay suspension and parent solution of polymer. Possible reasons for these dependences are discussed.