Removal of Colloidal Particles by using Gelation Reaction of Sodium Alginate

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A novel technique utilizing the gelation reaction of natural polymers has been proposed for the separation of solid from liquid in difficult-to-filter colloidal suspensions. This technique is especially effective in the treatment of colloidal muddy water of high solid concentration, which is often produced as a byproduct of certain construction processes. Colloidal suspensions are mixed with a sodium alginate solution, and this mixture is added to a calcium chloride solution, resulting in the entrapping of colloidal particles by the calcium alginate gel. Gel suspensions are then drained gravitationally, followed by mechanical expression of gel particles. Fundamental aspects of this process are investigated using sodium bentonite as an experimental material. The alginate-bentonite mixture is added dropwise to the calcium solution. Decreasing the droplet size of the mixture expedites gelation since the diffusion of calcium ions into droplets determines the rate of gelation reactions. Reducing the alginate content expedites expression of the gel since alginate content is inversely proportional to the rate of expression. Carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) as a stabilizer of bentonite mud water does not affect the gelation reaction, while the expression rate of the gel decreases with the increase in CMC content in the gel. This is due to the water retention capacity of CMC.