Flocculation behavior of some cationic polyelectrolytes

The settling rates and adsorption isotherms produced by a variety of suites of cationic polyelectrolytes in 3% kaolin suspensions were measured. Settling rates increased with molar mass even for low-mass, high-charge polymers. The very high settling rates produced by cationic copolymers of acrylamide decreased as the charge density of the polymer used increased. Hydrolysis of unbuffered polymers occurred over time and produced large changes in the effectiveness of the polymers. This is attributed to conformational changes. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A confocal Raman microscopy study of the distribution of a carotene-containing yeast in a living Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm

The distribution of a carotene-containing yeast (CCY) in a biofilm formed by a small colony variant (SCV) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 was followed by confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM). SCV PA01 and CCY cells were distinguished by their spectral signatures, and the distribution of the overall biomass was monitored by the C-H bending or stretching signal. The distributions of total biomass, PA01, and CCY cells were compared at various times and positions within the biofilm. The distribution of the CCY was very heterogeneous. It was found in the water channels as well as in regions within biofilm colonies. Many of the yeast cells observed within the biofilm colonies under conditions of low or stopped flow were removed when medium was flowing, suggesting that the yeast was not held in the matrix as tightly as were the bacteria.     

The effects of cationic polymers on flocculation of a coal thickener feed in washery water as a function of pH

The flocculation of a thickener feed using three cationic polyacrylamide copolymers of high molar mass and different charge densities was studied at three pHs in washery water. The binding capacities were very dependent on pH but only slightly dependent on the polymeric charge density. The reverse was true for the settling rates. At pH 7, all three polymers were equally effective at clarifying the suspensions, but there were marked differences at pH 4 and 9. For the polymers of highest charge density, reducing the pH increased their effectiveness; for the polymer of lower charge density, changing the pH had little effect on the residual turbidity. © l997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 783–789, 1997     

The flocculation of kaolin by cationic polyacrylamides and the effect of cationic surfactant on this process

The flocculation of kaolin suspended in a dilute salt solution was studied as a function of the addition of cationic surfactant and cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) added separately, consecutively, or simultaneously. Cationic polyacrylamide caused flocculation by bridging when added in low concentrations, but at higher concentrations, charge neutralization became the dominant mechanism and the flocculation rate was highly dependent on the charge density of the polymer. Adsorption of sufficient polymer or surfactant (cetyl pyridinium chloride) prevented immediate adsorption of the other, although surfactant could replace polymer after extended agitation. The adsorption of polymer was greatest when small flocs were formed by charge neutralization or by prolonged shaking. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2382–2389, 2002     

An alternative synthesis and mobile phase ion chromatography of alkanedisulfates

Preparation of alkane disulfates using chlorosulfonic acid results in a crude product containing significant amounts of chloride, sulfate, and hydroxyalkanesulfates. This paper describes an alternative synthesis using trimethylamine:sulfur dioxide complex in anhydrous pyridine. Workup with sodium hydroxide and washing in acetone results in a crude product with less than 1% inorganic impurity and ∼0–3% hydroxyalkanesulfate. Recrystallization from acetone reduces the inorganic impurity to less than 0.1%. Alkanedisulfates can be separated from the corresponding hydroxyalkanesulfates, chloride, and sulfate using mobile phase ion chromatography with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) as the ion-pairing agent and acetonitrile as the organic modifier. With the crude octanedisulfate and decanedisulfate product mixes, the alkanedisulfate is retained more strongly by the ion-pairing effect; but with the tetradecane species, hydrophobic interaction dominates and the tetradecanedisulfate elutes before the hydroxytetradecanesulfate. The choice of acetonitrile gradient and TBAOH is particularly important for the separation of the dodecane derivatives because the opposing effects of polarity (hydrophobic effect) and electrostatic interaction with TBAOH are of similar strength.