Evaluation and Optimization of Synthesized Poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) for Tannery Wastewater Treatment via RSM

Polymeric flocculant holds remarkable potential for treating industrial wastewater. Nonionic polyacrylamide and poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) were synthesized by using aqueous solution polymerization method. Synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and intrinsic viscosity. These polymers were applied to the wastewater collected from tannery industry. Parameters such as color, turbidity, and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured before and after application to check out the efficiency of these polymers. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the conditions of pH, polymer dose, alum concentration and shaking time. According to these optimized conditions, approximately 84 experiments were performed. Alum was used as coagulant in consortium with polymers to enhance their efficiency for reduction in color, turbidity and total dissolved solids. Color reduction was found to be reduced up to 96.34% at pH (8.5), polymer dosage (400 mg) and shaking time (3 h). Turbidity was reduced up to 99.42% when the pH was 7, polymer dosage was 300 mg and shaking time was 4 h. Reduction in TDS was up to 55.45% when both the polymers were added in the range of 300 mg, pH of tannery wastewater was adjusted to 7 and shaking time was about 4 h. ANOVA was applied to study the relation between independent factors and their effect on maximum reduction in color, turbidity and TDS.