The goal of the current article was to obtain data regarding the application of a series of grafted pullulan derivatives, as flocculating agents, for removal of some pesticide formulations from model wastewater. The pullulan derivatives are cationic polyelectrolytes, with various content and length
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The goal of the current article was to obtain data regarding the application of a series of grafted pullulan derivatives, as flocculating agents, for removal of some pesticide formulations from model wastewater. The pullulan derivatives are cationic polyelectrolytes, with various content and length of grafted poly[(3-acrylamidopropyl)-trimethylammonium chloride] chains onto the pullulan (P-
g-pAPTAC)]. The commercial pesticides are either fungicide (Bordeaux Mixture) (
BM) or insecticides (Decis (
Dc)—active ingredient Deltamethrin, Confidor Oil (
CO)—active ingredient Imidacloprid, Confidor Energy (
CE)—active ingredients Deltamethrin and Imidacloprid and Novadim Progress (
NP)—active ingredient Dimethoate). The removal efficiency has been assessed by UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements as a function of some parameters, namely polymer dose, grafted chains content and length, pesticides concentration. The P-
g-pAPTAC samples showed good removal efficacy at dose
op, more than 94% for
BM, between 84 and 90% for
DC,
CO and
CE and around 93% for
NP. The maximum percentage removal decreased with the pesticides (
DC,
CO,
CE,
NP) concentration declining; no effect of
BM concentration in suspension on its removal efficiency process has been noted. Differences indicated by zeta potential and particle size distribution measurements regarding the pesticides removal mechanisms by pullulan derivatives (charge neutralization, bridging, etc.) are discussed.
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