Cationic content effects of biodegradable amphoteric chitosan-based flocculants on the flocculation properties

Optimization of vitamin B12 nano-emulsification and encapsulation using spontaneous emulsification

In this study, the use of low-energy methods for nanoemulsification of vitamin B12 was investigated to protect this bioactive substance. The effects of sunflower oil concentrations (4-8%), Tween 80 (8-16%), and vitamin B12 (5-15%) on the physicochemical properties of B12 nanoemulsion were evaluated using response surface methodology (RSM). The results indicated that the quadratic model was the most fitting model for experimental data. Optimization revealed that the optimal formulation contained 6.5% sunflower oil, 9.6% Tween 80, and 13% vitamin B12, resulting in maximum efficiency, viscosity, and vitamin B12 content, as well as minimum pH, turbidity, p-Anisidine index, particle size, and polydispersity index (PDI). Under optimal conditions, pH, viscosity, turbidity, efficiency, vitamin B12, p-Anisidine index, PDI, and particle size were 7.24, 17.0024 cp, 2.19, 51.98%, 5.54 ppm, 0.01, 0.34, and 322 nm, respectively. This study highlights the effectiveness of spontaneous emulsification as a carrier for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds.

Recent developments in solid lipid nanoparticle and surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticle delivery systems for oral delivery of phyto-bioactive compounds in various chronic diseases

Solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) delivery systems have a wide applicability in the delivery of phyto-bioactive compounds to treat various chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. The multiple benefits of SLN delivery include improved stability, smaller particle size, leaching prevention and enhanced lymphatic uptake of the bioactive compounds through oral delivery. However, the burst release makes the SLN delivery systems inadequate for the oral delivery of various phyto-bioactive compounds that can treat such chronic diseases. Recently, the surface-modified SLN (SMSLN) was observed to overcome this limitation for oral delivery of phyto-bioactive compounds, and there is growing evidence of an enhanced uptake of curcumin delivered orally via SMSLNs in the brain. This review focuses on different SLN and SMSLN systems that are useful for oral delivery of phyto-bioactive compounds to treat various chronic diseases.

Evaluation of the starch-based flocculants on flocculation of hairwork wastewater

China is the world's largest producer of wigs, and the manufacturing generates large quantities of hairwork effluents. Coagulation/flocculation is an important step in the water treatment process. In this study, two versions of starch-based flocculants were successfully prepared through etherification and graft copolymerization, respectively. Starch-3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl triethyl ammonium chloride (St-CTA-DQ) and starch-graft-poly[(2-methacryloyloxyethyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride] (St-g-PDMC-DQ) both contain strongly cationic quaternary ammonium salt groups, but have differing cationic contents, specifically, the degree of substitution (DS) and grafting ratio (G). Furthermore, the additional functional groups were distributed on different chain sites (the starch backbone for St-CTA-DQ, and the branch chains for St-g-PDMC-DQ). These two flocculants demonstrated superior efficiency for turbidity and UV₂₅₄ removal in hairwork wastewater as well as better floc properties compared to polyaluminum chloride. The effects of pH, flocculant dose, and cationic group contents (DS and G) were systematically investigated. Consequently, it was determined that a higher cationic content in both the flocculants led to better flocculation performance as well as increased removal rates of both turbidity and UV₂₅₄. This was primarily due to improved charge neutralization, which highlighted the preference towards a lower optimal dose. In addition, flocculation performance worsened as the pH level increased. Overall, St-g-PDMC-DQ exhibited similar flocculation performance to St-CTA-DQ. However, the wastewater treated by St-g-PDMC-DQ showed lower residual turbidity than when treated by St-CTA-DQ. This was attributed to the distinct branch chain architecture of St-g-PDMC-DQ, which was beneficial for coagulating the uneasily flocculated contaminants in water, such as smaller-sized colloids and water-soluble organic substances. Flocculant structural factors, specifically charge properties and chain architecture, heavily affected the final flocculation performance.

Investigation of Self-Assembly Processes for Chitosan-Based Coagulant-Flocculant Systems: A Mini-Review

The presence of contaminants in wastewater poses significant challenges to water treatment processes and environmental remediation. The use of coagulation-flocculation represents a facile and efficient way of removing charged particles from water. The formation of stable colloidal flocs is necessary for floc aggregation and, hence, their subsequent removal. Aggregation occurs when these flocs form extended networks through the self-assembly of polyelectrolytes, such as the amine-based polysaccharide (chitosan), which form polymer “bridges” in a floc network. The aim of this overview is to evaluate how the self-assembly process of chitosan and its derivatives is influenced by factors related to the morphology of chitosan (flocculant) and the role of the solution conditions in the flocculation properties of chitosan and its modified forms. Chitosan has been used alone or in conjunction with a salt, such as aluminum sulphate, as an aid for the removal of various waterborne contaminants. Modified chitosan relates to grafted anionic or cationic groups onto the C-6 hydroxyl group or the amine group at C-2 on the glucosamine monomer of chitosan. By varying the parameters, such as molecular weight and the degree of deacetylation of chitosan, pH, reaction and settling time, dosage and temperature, self-assembly can be further investigated. This mini-review places an emphasis on the molecular-level details of the flocculation and the self-assembly processes for the marine-based biopolymer, chitosan.

Effect of algal flocculation on dissolved organic matters using cationic starch modified soils

Modified soils (MSs) are being increasingly used as geo-engineering materials for the sedimentation removal of cyanobacterial blooms. Cationic starch (CS) has been tested as an effective soil modifier, but little is known about its potential impacts on the treated water. This study investigated dissolved organic matters in the bloom water after algal removal using cationic starch modified soils (CS-MSs). Results showed that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) could be decreased by CS-MS flocculation and the use of higher charge density CS yielded a greater DOC reduction. When CS with the charge density of 0.052, 0.102 and 0.293meq/g were used, DOC was decreased from 3.4 to 3.0, 2.3 and 1.7mg/L, respectively. The excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and UV254 analysis indicated that CS-MS exhibits an ability to remove some soluble organics, which contributed to the DOC reduction. However, the use of low charge density CS posed a potential risk of DOC increase due to the high CS loading for effective algal removal. When CS with the charge density of 0.044meq/g was used, DOC was increased from 3.4 to 3.9mg/L. This study suggested, when CS-MS is used for cyanobacterial bloom removal, the content of dissolved organic matters in the treated water can be controlled by optimizing the charge density of CS. For the settled organic matters, other measures (e.g., capping treatments using oxygen loaded materials) should be jointly applied after algal flocculation.

A review on chitosan-based flocculants and their applications in water treatment

In recent years, the use of chitosan and its derivatives as flocculants in water treatment has received considerable attention due to their many advantages, including their widespread availability, environmental friendliness, biodegradability, and prominent structural features. However, it is a significant strategy for selection and design of the high-performance materials on the basis of their structure-activity relationships. Here we describe several of the chemical modification methods commonly used to prepare chitosan-based flocculants. These methods allow convenient control and adjustment of the structures of the obtained materials to meet the different practical requirements. The influence of structural elements of the chitosan-based flocculants on their flocculation properties are emphasized in this review by examining different flocculation mechanisms and their applications in the treatment of various wastewaters containing different pollutants (insoluble suspended colloids but also dissolved matters). Above all, the chitosan-based flocculants with proper structures by precise structure control bear great application potentials in water treatment.

Flocculation of both anionic and cationic dyes in aqueous solutions by the amphoteric grafting flocculant carboxymethyl chitosan-graft-polyacrylamide

In the current work, a series of amphoteric grafting chitosan-based flocculants (carboxymethyl chitosan-graft-polyacrylamide, denoted as CMC-g-PAM) was designed and prepared successfully. The flocculants were applied to eliminate various dyes from aqueous solutions. Among different graft copolymers, CMC-g-PAM11 with a PAM grafting ratio of 74% demonstrated the most efficient performance for removal of both the anionic dye (Methyl Orange, MO) and the cationic dye (Basic Bright Yellow, 7GL) under the corresponding favored conditions (80 mg/L of the flocculant at pH 4.0, and 160 mg/L at pH 11.0). In comparison with its precursors, chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan, CMC-g-PAM11 showed higher removal efficiencies and wider flocculation windows. More importantly, the graft copolymer produced notably more compacted flocs based on image analysis in combination with fractal theory, which was of great significance in practical water treatment. Furthermore, the flocculation mechanism was discussed in detail. The grafted polyacrylamide chains were found to contribute much to the improved bridging and sweeping flocculation effects, but reduced charge neutralization flocculation for the effect of charge screening.

Flocculation performance and mechanism of graphene oxide for removal of various contaminants from water

The application of nanomaterials in water treatment plants has attracted significant attention recently. This study investigates the possibility of using graphene oxide (GO) as a novel flocculant to remove contaminants with different surface charges from water, including two particulate ones (kaolin and hematite) and two soluble ones (humic acid (HA) and cationic light yellow 7GL dye (7GL)). The flocculation performances of traditional polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and original graphite were also tested for comparison. Fractal theory was applied to evaluate the floc properties and explore the flocculation mechanism in combination with zeta potential measurements. For negatively charged contaminants, kaolin and HA, GO was observed to remove these contaminants successfully via the sweeping flocculation effect under acidic and neutral conditions. However, GO was less efficient than PAC. For positively charged contaminants, hematite and 7GL, the flocculation performances of GO were significantly improved than those of PAC via patching effect for hematite suspension and charge neutralization effect for 7GL solution. The results highlighted the extensive potential applicability of GO as a suitable flocculant in water treatment.