Polymers for waste water treatment

Abstract

Two types of anionic polyelectrolites, co-polymer of the acrylamide-acrylic acid (PA type) and co-polymer of the acrylic acid-vinyl acetate (PV type), obtained by gamma and electron beams irradiation, are presented. The experimental results concerning the typical characteristics achieved for these polyelectrolites and their applications in real waste water treatments are also presented. The influence of the chemical composition of the irradiated aqueous solutions and the radiation absorbed dose level upon the characteristics of these co-polymers are discussed. The required radiation absorbed dose levels to produce these co-polymers are rather small, from 0.4 kGy to 1 kGy for PA type and 3 kGy to 4 kGy for PV type. It is possible to obtain a very wide range of PA and PV characteristics and therefore a large area of application by controlling the chemical composition of the solution to be treated and by a suitable adjustment of the radiation absorbed dose level.