THE APPLICATION OF FEATHER KERATIN AND ITS DERIVATIVES IN TREATMENT OF POTATO STARCH WASTEWATER

In this paper, stable and homogeneous feather keratin was effectively extracted from feathers. Its molecular weight is 20kDa with low dispersivity. The extracted feather keratin (FK) and its derivatives (FK-ET) were used as natural polymer flocculants. It was a new kind of effective and innoxious flocculant for the COD removal of potato starch wastewater. The removal rate of COD was up to 75% under the following optimal condition: 100mL of initial wastewater (COD=7380), T=20 degrees C, [FK-ET]=0.4 g/L, [Bent]=4g/L, pH=8.0. Compared with traditional flocculants, keratin flocculants are innoxious natural polymers. Their sludge is easy to be treated, and there is no further pollution. Also, the flocculating constituents, which containing keratin, starch, saccharide, protein and other solubility substances from wastewaters, should be reutilized. It has practical application value in water treatment as a kind of natural polymer flocculant.